Bath Stone Mines - Further Reading
For anyone wishing to learn more about the Quarrying of Bath Stone, particularly in the Corsham area, there follows a few very useful references which really are a must!
Box Freestone Mines. by Fred Tye, Simon Muir
Now in its 3rd edition, this is an excellent reference work by the Cotham Caving Group of Bristol, and is an updated version of the original book published in the 60s. It contains many photos, diagrams and maps relating to the stone working process. In this edition are some excellent colour photos of the underground workings not previously shown in earlier printings. The book contains sections on the history of Box, Geology, and methods of extracting the stone. Mention is also made of the use of the Mine by the Military in wartime, for the safe storage of munitions etc.
Part two of the book is mainly concerned with access to the Mine and the various routes involved. Some coloured maps are provided for guidance.
As well as being an excellent read, the book represents good value for around £8.00. The ISBN is 0-9539419-0-6
It is available from the Quarrymans Arms (QV).
Deep, Dark and Dusty. Video by Jim Menday.
This is the apt title for a brand new video about Bath Stone. It is a two hour long programme dealing with the quarrying process in the Bath and Wiltshire areas. Much detail is included relating to the Military occupation of many of the sites in the area, as well as the extraction process and uses for the stone itself. There is superb footage of the machines currently used for cutting the stone in the various quarries as well as older methods of removing stone. Where necessary (usually for security reasons) some use is made of still images, but this in no way detracts from the overall quality of this video. The recording quality in really superb, and congratulations must go to the camera-men who recorded this material, often in somewhat less than idea conditions. Tapes are priced around £19.95 and would make a well worthwhile addition to any bookshelf. Available, on request, from the Quarrymans Arms (QV). I believe further videos are being planned which will cover more specialised areas around this topic. Jim Menday can be contacted on: jrm@mvpvs.freeserve.co.uk or telephone: 01483 563060
Secret Underground Cities. by Nick McCamley
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