Caves and Stone mines

In this weeks video we look at two locations. The Brinksway or Maggies caves in Stockport. Also the Pinner stone mine at crawshawbooth Lancashire England. Maggies caves are a mystery thought to have been hewn from the sandstone in the early 1700's by local corn mill tunnellers they provided shelter for many years to homeless people. Situated high above the river Mersey in the banks. The pinner stone quarry and mine provided high quality stone for setts ( or cobbles) machine beds and paving flags. It was a victorian stone mine.

[@Sestra_Prior]

Really interesting caves... I've been waiting for you to go and explore them. But! Why oh WHY do people have to ruin places by littering?!!

[@MartinZero]

Yeah I know, awful

[@clarenicola1]

No respect of appreciation for many things these days😕

[@WarHawk-]

When mine or tunnel exploring in America (United States), in order to keep from getting confused (lost), we use what we call the :"Right Hand Rule" where you always travel along the right side wall, eventually making a complete exploration and returning to where you started. If you decide to quit before you have finished the entire area or want to go back to the beginning, then you turn around 180 degrees and start using a 'Left Hand Rule' where you keep going left, which in reality is just reversing your track along the exact same path that you came in on. We had to incorporate these rules because many of our mine and cave systems literally run for miles with countless side passages.

[@gerardjones7881]

that system works for a maze. Any maze is just a path that is twisted around itself.

[@bazza5699]

is the wasp poster a nod to 'bee here now'?

[@danielbarrows7144]

When they finish with a drift they will sometimes backfill and close it off with gobbing or waste rock.

[@MartinZero]

Yeah, I heard a term dead mans walls ?

[@InSanCen]

@@MartinZero Wall of deads maybe? Deads are the waste rock, gobbing is more of a US term for the same thing. Very common in Slate mines.

[@jetsons101]

At 8:40 you can see where someone had cut a few small trees down to stumps to open up the views and for light. Where is the top of that shaft go ??? Always enjoy the "Brew" music, don't steer the tea around--go back and fourth with the spoon, be proper.... LOL "OH", look the gates open, "priceless" Is the image at 23:38 to 23:41 upside-down or is it just me ? Looks like you all had a great day at both locations. Thanks for all you do for us viewers. Stay safe, Stay strong.....

[@keeperofthegood]

The pebbles look glacial. Here we see this all through the Niagara Escarpment, glacier polished pebbles encased in sand.

[@notwenjohn6852]

Those caves are fascinating Martin. More questions than answers! Lols. There are some preserved Cave dwellings down Staffordshire way, but I think these Stockport caves must have been more Industrial.......and get a belt on to keep those Keks up lad! ;-)

[@Charstring]

Thomas Barnard (1849-1931) made clay pipes in Stockport for over 70 years and had his workshop in “a cave in the bank of the Mersey at Brinksway” (Lancashire Evening Post 4 Sept 1931). That workshop would have needed shelving or racking systems...

[@katherinekinnaird4408]

Glad you got out safe. May I encourage you to throw a ball of yarn into your backpack for future trips to use as a guide to get out safe. Thank you and take care.

[@iainpaton7129]

Great video friend hope you get better soon and mostly please keep the great videos coming 👍

[@Steve_Wardley_G6JEF]

For those interested in mines like this but old gold mines in Nevada, look at "Abandoned & Forgotten Places". the similarities are uncanny. Another great explore Martin.

[@Audion]

Oh no, not Gly..

[@christopherescott6787]

@@Audion Why not? LOLOL

[@mattmsl7]

Chem sticks are a cheap and easy way to place your own markers...

[@waverleyjournalise5757]

When you get back to the entrance and it's been padlocked behind you...

[@philburr4075]

Hope your well Martin? Least it wasn't the dreaded covid👍👍

[@DurpVonFronz]

whats funny about that is, if you stop watching the news, it instantly goes away. covid, whered you go, oh, no ones dying, but turn that news back on and EVERYONES GONNA DIE!!!!!!!! fear fear fear, nothing more.

[@MartinZero]

Just a cold Phil

[@philburr4075]

@@DurpVonFronz your absolutely right there mate.

[@andyhill242]

I guess by the long-lived nature of caves, they will be used in many different ways over the years. Glad your voice is getting better.

[@MartinZero]

Thanks, so frustrating, Talking is the only thing I do well

[@jacquelinetaylor8683]

Looks like Martin's reaching the age for braces to keep up his trousers!

[@hondapete1]

he was having a cracking time

[@MartinZero]

I was gonna cut the bum shot but thought you might like it Jacqueline 😘

[@jacquelinetaylor8683]

Didnt say I liked it Martin, just said you needed braces. Ahah

[@brianartillery]

@@jacquelinetaylor8683 🤔😆😆😆

[@christopherbraiden6713]

Know how he fills!!😎🐓🐓🐓🇬🇧

[@shirleylynch7529]

So interesting. Felt a bit nervous too with the mine. But another fantastic vlog and explore. Well done to you all. No comments made about your tea James so it must be getting better especially If using the proper milk. Thank you again.

[@Belznis]

I knew there would be garbage, you should also popularize the culture of clean environment. Just take a couple of garbage bags with you and collect some trash. Leave signs or something, maybe others will follow, especially if you popularize it on your channel. It was not really worth it going down there - a huge spider web in front of the cave :D

[@elizabethannferrario7113]

use a line from the entrance , then tie it to your belt ! then it with unreel as you go along , like cave divers ! they use three lines for safety !

[@jaycee6996]

When you said the place is giving you a bad vibe you were standing next to some impressive cracks in the supporting pillars. That was probably one of the sketchiest things I have seen you do. Keep up the good work.

[@mikesheldon1957]

String is used by cave divers to find your way back out of a system because obviously losing your way in a flooded cave with limited air is fatal. You usually add string to the main one by tying offshoots to it so coming back out if you turned right going in you turn left going out, also I think the different coloured arrows are by different people and are just for the same reason so when you come back you know which way is to the exit, its less fatal if you lose your way in normal cave systems. Most carry spare everything and chocolate and water for emergencies and ALWAYS inform someone where you are going and to alert the authorities if you don't contact them within a certain time that you are safe and have returned ok.

[@MartinZero]

Thanks Sam

[@brianartillery]

Brilliant, as always. Now I get an idea of what an anthill looks like. Yeah, that mine wasn't nice. Reminded me of a great, but nasty, short story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, called 'The New Catacomb'. Well worth reading.

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

Technically when stone is mined, it's called an underground quarry. Ooh, danger of death is my favourite welcome sign! ;) You should come up here, we can show you the vast lead mines up here, upto 300 years old, stone arched, huge stopes and flats :) Tomorrow's video is a prime example. No grid pattern to hours, they twist and weave as they follow the lead veins.

[@MartinZero]

That definitely sounds good 👍

[@Pricklyhedgehog72]

Nothing like a good brew.

[@tomsurbanexplore]

Good video that I think I've seen Maggie's cave in daft monkeys video I think you was in it,that pinar mine looked unsafe glad you & James got out your voice sounds like mine from watching the England game last night my voice is croaky glad you gonna do another Manchester video carnt wait 👍

[@louisl.8724]

Rear Crack alert!

[@LeiceExplore]

Lovely video this Martin as per usual...much needed on a Monday evening! I thought that little story about the Navvies living in those caves was interesting, I love owt to do with these men, the men that really built the infrastructure back in the day! A real shame you couldn't get to see that crane/winch either! Someone will watch this vid, who knows where it is and get in touch with you I'm sure! Keep up the great work! Cheers...

[@MartinZero]

There are photos of it, but don’t want to use them if I didn’t see it or take em myself

[@terryansell6641]

Your videos get better every time I watch, just think of the poor workers working down the mine with candles, it must have been a miserable life, I guess even children working down the mine

[@richardjellis9186]

"somebody POSSIBLY lived there".???. I'd say somebody DEFINITELY lived there.!! Of course they did. It's not been carved out by kids for a den has it🙄 One part looks like it's been a workplace, and the other, definitely a little home. Maybe whatever was worked there, needed guarding of a nighttime. LOVE THE VIDS KEEP'EM COMING RICH(UK) 🥰🥰🥰.

[@nigelbilsby3826]

Martin the wood tracks might have had wooden lengths with a metal stripps on it, the reason the side shafts are full of stone is because they call that back filling so they can keep the tailings down aka waste Rock, also helps to keep the roof up, nice videos, get well soon!

[@MartinZero]

Cheers Nigel, good info

[@carlrehnberg4581]

Another mine daftie? We do get around.

[@Charstring]

Can't find any Travis murders in Stockport in old newspapers. Two women were killed on the Brinksway Bridge nearby - but by a horse (the horse felt something touch its back legs, so horse logic says that's time to lash out and trample people). Ann Faulkner and Ann Sherrock sadly died from being in the wrong place at the wrong time (Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser 10 Oct 1848).

[@OvergroundUnderground]

Hi Martin been to Pinner mines several times Its the worst mine for getting lost in and only found the crane on the 3rd attempt.

[@Dwendele]

Should take some of those big colored sidewalk chalk sticks with you. You can mark your paths, and because it's chalk, you know it won't permantly deface the mine, cave or tunnels you're exploring.

[@andyn3532]

Apparently the lower parts of the caves were later excavations used as air raid shelters later sealed off from the public in 1948

[@kenhurley2361]

Great to see you cracking on at 20.00 The a mazing places you find are just brilliant

[@douglasthompson296]

Ahhh Martin back in his narural environment, underground and just like a pig in sh*t 🐖😎 and finishing up with mug of tea and biccies with James

[@Raffles666]

if this was 'fighters' you would have found 3 dead bodies...lord Lucan and a drug stash... ;)

[@petersimms4982]

Super little film , great that you kept reminding the kids that it was dangerous with plenty of Hazzards :()

[@helenemoody3869]

My actress auntie Cynthia Michaelas took me to the caves when I was tiny and we still lived up there. She was in coronation Street and last of the summer wine before and during my lifetime amongst other productions. She also worked in the theatre, local and national ones, at Styall Mill and Quarry Bank Mill and possibly Tatton Park as a period costume living history tour guide when she was resting from the professional industry. Lived in Stockport when she died. Proper awesomeness! She was an amazing faerie godmother to me during my childhood sports and arts training and performance days when we left Lancashire for Dorset. Thanks for bringing me these awesome memories! I am so homesick. You're a great historical film documentary artist! Everything you show the world is exactly why I'm so grateful to have been born a Mancunian! It's in our blood and the water... Proper legendary magic here dude!

[@elixyrevad]

Oh Martin, how could you walk across a bridge to cross the Mersey, surely you should have taken a ferry cross the Mersey?!? :)

[@hunter8725]

Martin In All of your travels have you ever found the one ring.........

[@seanshortiss2271]

Hi Martin just saw your video caves and stone,, good work..if you want to visit pinner mine and see the crane I would be happy to take you there..I have been exploring the local stone mines for a while now. Any how the offer is there for you.. Cheers Sean

[@mileshigh1321]

2 cool explores! Both with some great history! The second looking like a maze that could take days to get out if you got lost!

[@MartinZero]

Yeah it was a Maze, everything looked the same

[@richardjellis9186]

"DEFINITELY been a bit of a track here POSSIBLY.!🤣

[@MiltonGrimshaw]

That is a stone quarry, not a mine, the distinction between a mine and quarry is a quarry gain is used in construction (e.g. sand, slate, gravel, stone, etc), and mine's gain is none construction materials (e.g. metals, coal, oil shale, gold, gemstones, chalk, salt, potash, etc) What is wrongly thought is mines go underground and quarries are open holes.

[@ronniesimpson3665]

It's not featureless, you was just in the wrong places. The person who said 60yds in and you have seen it all doe's not know his way around the Mine. If he did he would have have shown you the crane and a few more places of interest

[@debbiepitcher9806]

Shame about all the rubbish at the caves Martin, the rubble in the mine is often called back fill poorer quality stone not worth the effort to take out. Interesting thanks Martin.

[@XMguy]

I’ll never be able to visit England probably. Thank you for these videos for those of us who can’t. I’m state side. I also know the River from the song “Ferry Cross the Mersey”.

[@charleydavidson69]

Another great video. But rather you and James than me. Interesting to find out about the "singing posts" but sadly for some miners it was the last sound they ever heard!

[@malcolmbuxton8594]

Both Peggy and Maggie are corruptions of Margaret so prob same person ie Maggie caves or peggys

[@vsvnrg3263]

the mason's marks (12:55) may have been to indicate which mason made them for the purposes of wages. no marks-no pay. sometimes markings are to indicate where in a structure a piece was made for.

[@Zentron]

Well, you know my suggestion will be a railway one ;) And yes, Maggie and Peggy are nicknames for the same name, so most likely the two stories are of the same person.

[@Telfordultimateguide]

Take a look at Monkton farley - anyone done these amazing caves?

[@pablomarron8371]

I used to work in the quarry at Whitworth and there were tales if mikes of caves under the hillside and people getting lost in them for weeks

[@sheldoncl]

Pinner is safe enough the front part is a bit unsafe, it's not that big, the crane is hidden, easy to find but a bit of a a climb up and down, it was my youth play ground.

[@carlrehnberg4581]

Technically not caves. It's either a quarry (if you chase stone), or a mine. In this case I am fairly certain that some poor sod thought it would be a good idea to chase that gravel bed for minerals. Either that or chased that thin band of low grade iron hoping it would open up. Anyway, almost certain it was an exploratory drift since they clearly used the Room-and-Pillar method of mining, the only ones doing that are miners. In this case, completely inept miners from a geology standpoint. Now back to watching the second half of the video. Just wanted to give a former mining geophysicists view on things.

[@MartinZero]

Not bad for 1700 though

[@carlrehnberg4581]

Second part is brilliant example of Room-and-Pillar mining. Stulls are wooden beams used to brace the hanging wall against the footwall (secondly) and primarily to hold up working platforms as you work a stope.

[@carlrehnberg4581]

Anyway, loved the video (as usual)!

[@TheSilmarillian]

My money is on a what is called a blow within the geology , hello from Australia opal miner here

[@MrRoyboy55]

hmm , yep lost again ,, lets have a sit down and some tea (& tuna sandwich) after all We must face the long dark of Moria . be on your guard . there are older and fouler things than Orcs, In the deep places of the world ,, ah its this way ,the air is less foul (the fellowship of the ring) oh great now i need to watch it again ,, thanks

[@caminojohn3240]

From my ignorant perspective, it seems as they quarried stone, they only followed formations that were valuable and then places the spoils in the depleted stopes and unneeded drifts.

[@MrSteffen2020]

Thank you Martin for nice video see you next and I hope you feel better soon

[@a40a40]

Surprising that with all that carving out of the rock, no one ever carved a date into the stonework.

[@a40a40]

Legend has it the stone from this area was used as the flagging in Trafalgar Square.

[@trecker59]

Great vid Martin I think that thereaded tube is part of a tool the tube contained a screwdriver. a spike and an awl and a square recess to hold the tool when the handles where screwed together, I think i've got one somwhere it belonged to my farther in law. There are large stone mines near Rainford.

[@brianberthold3118]

another gold vid by explorer Zero !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@jmarsh3347]

Martin, a word of advice: higher pants and longer shirts. I was almost blinded there.

[@28YorkshireRose12]

Naah.... That wasn't even a half moon!

[@kevintynan796]

Ah, the plumbers smile 🇨🇦

[@lorrainemerry8661]

A partial eclipse

[@andrewpearson3365]

Fascinating stuff again Martin. Are you thinking of covering the final stretch of the Medlock when we're allowed a little more freedom? I still have the old surveyor's/engineer's map showing the confluence of the Medlock and Irwell if that would be of interest. We discussed an image of the map that I sent before lockdown but you'd be welcome to borrow the original if it's of interest.

[@leegibson5057]

Purification of gas tar possibly a coke ovens close by

[@hanleypc]

Martin, you need to take your own string next time, tie it to the entrance and then you can follow it out.

[@ObelixMagnetFishing]

I'd almost say next time bring a bobcat and make a path and run out all the excess rock.

[@andyhill242]

How about a Manchester Railway video? 2 Interesting little videos combined into one. A lot of the channels I subscribe to often do "combination" videos, for places that aren't deserving of their own full video.

[@oldmanhuppiedos]

Maggie's Caves sound familiar to me, must have read something about it at some point. A special environment.

[@A.Martin]

The rock stacked in the stone mine is gobbing, waste rock, they stack it up in piles along the edges of tunnels or in old tunnels that aren't used any more, they choose to leave it in the tunnel to avoid having to haul it all out, as that is a waste of effort to haul it all out.

[@jmarsh3347]

Only speculation but that "thimble" thing looks like the adjusting sleeve on a micrometer but what it's doing there is baffling.

[@diggmore1362]

It does look a bit like that

[@murlthomas2243]

Looks like a needle case, too. Needles were hard to come by once, and were stored in small cases to keep from losing them and protect them from damage.

[@paulwilliams3710]

I thought the outer casing of a LED pocket torch somebody has broke and dropped

[@crazyfvck]

@j marsh My guess was the valve stem cap from an antique car. But who knows. A bit of mystery is what makes finding things like that so interesting :)

[@jetsons101]

OH BOY a Martin video...... let me go get my tea, just home from work.......

[@RespectedWanderer]

maybe the river ran closer and it was a dock? great vid again our kidd

[@adriannicholson8819]

I've been there. did you find the big red door to the UK area 51

[@justaseagull8406]

How can you drink tea in plastic cups? Yuck!

[@lauriecooper8194]

Railway video next please Martin.

[@graham1332]

I messaged you on a different one, get well soon pal, look after yourself, we need you to do more video’s

[@MartinZero]

Thank you, not too bad now

[@Vortecks]

This is a bit coincidental...... 2 weeks ago, my Daughter had exactly the same illness as you and now, I've got exactly the same. I've never had a sore throat in my life until now. 2 days after the sore throat started, I lost my voice for the first time ever and now, I've been left with a bad chest. No other symptoms. I hope you've recovered, mine seems to be easing today.

[@trevorevans1508]

Love this one thanks ✌️

[@Patriotmagnets]

Excellent Excellent video dude I never knew about Maggie's cave. Well presented as usual. 👌🇬🇧

[@MartinZero]

Thank very much 👍

[@andyhill242]

I guess that like coal mines, there can be open cast and deep stone mines, depending on the type of stone you are trying to mine.

[@richardjellis9186]

The stones are marked, so they got paid.

[@paulfoster2984]

There is a great deal more to Maggie's Caves thank what you showed.

[@matthewgriffiths8423]

Very Interesting Martin. In Kinver in Staffordshire there are cave houses that you can visit. Lived in until quite recently ish.

[@victorgoncalves2442]

Great video as per usual . Get well soon Martin , and stay safe .

[@MartinZero]

Thanks Victor

[@almaxx9680]

Give the silk cut up martin😆

[@johnfrench428]

Get that Fenix fired up Martin.

[@gibbsfamaffordableadventur8639]

Where exactly is this please ?

[@ianinvancouverbc]

very similar to Crank Caverns near Billinge

[@derelictmanchester8745]

Crickey, that piece of wood that appeared to prop up the ceiling...I thought whoa....cracking trip Martin...the next one I suggested has some good external features and dronable footage...

[@MartinZero]

Ahh nice one John

[@hoppinonabronzeleg9477]

Was Maggies caves a leper colony?

[@crudburgerwithfries3614]

Was thinking exactly the same. Would have had to be downstream from the rest of the population though

[@MartinZero]

Nothing i read indicated such use

[@Phil-M0KPH]

Interesting as always. 👍

[@richardross7219]

When you have a cold, hot drinks need a shot of whiskey in them. That was what my Mom did for us. Get well soon. Another interesting video. Good Luck, Rick

[@MartinZero]

Cheers Rick

[@williamwoods8022]

Colloidal Silver is the best for stopping colds and flu and getting rid of them if they have managed to get a hold. I use 45 ppm Colloidal Silver from Silvercleanse when I feel a cold etc starting at the back of my throat - I just gargle a mouthful and then swallow it and repeat after a couple of hours if it is still trying to take hold and it is gone. Excellent natural antibiotic that saved my cats life when she was bitten by a dog and the antibiotic poisons that the vets/doctors use was not working to get rid of her nasty infection.

[@numberonefan4699]

Danger of death and you went in😱 who are you and what have you done with Martin 😂😁thanks for the excellent video 👍

[@MartinZero]

He is still in there

[@lorrainemerry8661]

Near Bath, there are miles and miles of under ground stone quarries from which Bath itself was built,

[@lorrainemerry8661]

ask Dan Dixon from Exploring with fighters. Him and friends where lost down there all day.

[@madgebishop5409]

that mine looked horrible, stuff of nightmares the fact it just looked the same the whole way through

[@MartinZero]

Yes, definitely easy to get lost

[@benjaminroys6613]

No non no no! When the tea bag sinks it means that it's Yucky yucky UHT milk! Yuck!!

[@MartinZero]

I think it only sinks in James world

[@peterdean8009]

According to an article in the Manc. Evening News, the caves were once used as a brothel. Then in your video you mentioned "shoving your GoPRO down a hidden cave" and "a huge shaft"!!

[@MartinZero]

ooerr misses