Huglith & Westcott Mines

Huglith Mine, three miles south of Pontesbury, was worked in the early 19th century, initially in search of copper, up until the 1850s, when increasingly the prize was barytes. From 1910 to 1945, in various hands, an incredible 300,000 tons was extracted from Huglith.



One way into the Main Vein workings is via Badger Level (top and bottom photographs). At the vein, this splits into two passages. That on the right leads to a stope with a number of intermediate levels. That on the left leads to a winze that drops 110 feet to the main tramming level.



From 1925 the barytes was transported to Malehurst Mill, near Minsterley, by means of an aerial ropeway that marched across the hills on pylons. The footings for these can be found in the thick woodland that is home to numerous surface remains. In a nearby well-tended (and private) garden are remains of an engine and boiler house of Westcott Mine, also mined initially for copper and later for barytes.