Mining began at Blue Gate in 1853 on the instructions of Frederick Knight and under the supervision of Ebeneezer Rogers. Prospecting was carried out following the sinking of a single shaft. By 1856, four shafts had been established and machinery for winding and pumping had been imported from south Wales and installed at the mine. By April 1857, Messrs Schneider and Hannay entered into an agreement for a lease of the area of the Deer Park, but around that time mining operations ceased. Mining resumed and in 1912, miners working at the upper end of Drybridge Combe encountered "Rogers Lode", and levels were cut to the east and west to explore it (MSO7065). Driving eastwards, the original intention was to follow the lode as far as "Rogers Shaft"; however, this was never achieved. By May 1912 headgear had been installed on "Rogers Shaft", and compressors were brought in to ventilate the workings and power the drilling rig. A tramway was constructed to convey ore from the shaft to the road to the west, from whence it was conveyed by traction engine to South Molton.
By 1913 "Rogers Shaft" was at a depth of 148 feet 10 inches (45.2 metres) with levels driven east and west along the lode at a depth of 90 feet (27.3 metres) Continuous
problems were encountered at the mine, specifically associated with drainage and under-investment. These factors combined to lead to the closure of the mine in 1913,
despite the fact that an estimated 657,000 tons of ore remained to be mined from all of the lodes at Blue Gate.
The buildings are not immediately apparent on the ground, although their sites have been identified. The powder house (SS 3768 7605) consists of a sub-square stony area, lying in the corner of a sub-rectangular hollow, evidently a former prospecting pit. In detail it consists of a disturbed stony bank, 0.2 metres high, containing some edge-set stones and some coursed waling. It measures 3.5 metres square and has an entrance gap of 1.2 metres on the southern side. The blacksmith's shop (SS 3766 7608) consists of a roughly rectangular area of amorphous scarps measuring 14 metres by 8 metres. These presumably represent the removal of a timber building.
The site of the engine house and boiler (SS 3770 7611) is marked by a sharply defined rectangular hollow adjacent to the prospecting trench linking Goosemoor and Rogers Shafts. It measures 7.1 metres by 5 metres, and the interior is 0.9 metres below the surrounding ground surface. A low bank subdivides the interior and the remainder is marshy. The precise layout of the building is unclear.The remains of Rogers Shaft are by far the most pronounced on the site. This confirms the late working on the shaft, and the presence of substantial spoil heaps to the north support the fact that it was excavated to a substantial depth. The shaft itself is marked by a circular hollow 10 metres in diameter and 2.5 metres deep (although at the time of recording it was water filled). On the western side are ore dumps and to the northwest is a platform area occupied by two concrete plinths which were presumably part of the head gear arrangement. A pronounces flat topped bank runs westwards to the modern road. This is shown on an undated version of the Ordnance Survey 1 map as a tramway which also agrees with contemporary documentation. On the same map both Rogers and New Shafts are shown. The tramway embankment clearly cuts through some of the prospecting trenches which were presumably dug in the 1850s.
Surveyed at 1:2500 with other sites in Deer Park and Drybridge Combe.
Age: of its age
Rarity: Fairly typical 19th century mine workings
Distinctive Design: no
Historical Association: High – association with Knight Estate
Evidential Value: moderate – much archaeological evidence will survive
Social Communal Value: not a well visited area
Group Value: represents a group of related structures and workings, other Knight industrial activity
Collective Value: not too well preserved above ground but distinctive locally and associated with other Knight era industrial activity