Remains of iron working at Hangley Cleave. Hangley Cleave [2] or Hangley Cleeve [3] was one of the places where older workings were evident [3] and by 1854, by means of trenches, holes and cuts into hillsides, the existence of deposits of ore in this area was proved to Frederic Knight's satisfaction. The surface indications of a vein running roughly east to west were of a very favourable character.
Operations, began by the Dowlais Iron Company of Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales, about March 1856, were by 'patching' or open work along the vein which on the surface was about 4.5 metres wide [4]. Westward it proved to be nearly 2 metres thick, but eastward it quickly faded out. To drain the vein a drift was begun (about 115 metres to the north at SS 7444 3661) but when it struck the vein at a depth of 12 metres it had narrowed to under 2 metres. A shaft was sunk at this point (SS 7443 3649) and 1200 tons of rich brown hematite was raised at a cost of £700 before the vein petered out. Operations were abandoned in August 1857. The remains of the workings are still clearly evident about 460 metres above Ordnance Datum on a gentle rough grass-covered north-facing slope to the north of the road between Two Barrows and Kinsford Gate. The remains, all grass-covered and all with associated spoil heaps, consist of the open worked east/west vein, the north/south adit and drift, together with another adit or drift some 200 metres due east of the main shaft (about SS 7461 3646). The actual adit entrances and shaft have been blocked or caved in so it is not clear where their exact entrances were. Fragments of old tram rails are laid on the surface near to the shaft. It is not clear which are the earlier workings referred to.
No survey action has been taken as most of the site is depicted, annotated Iron Mine (Disused), on the 1:2500 Ordnance Survey map of 1890 (3), but it does require a large scale survey at a future date.
Age: 19th century but may be earlier working surviving
Rarity: not uncommon as 19th century workings but earlier workings less common
Distinctive Design: no
Historical Association: associated with Knight Estate and activity and named developers
Evidential Value: likely to be archaeological evidence of earlier iron working of currently unknown date
Social Communal Value: little known
Group Value: represents a group of related structures and workings
Collective Value: not too well preserved above ground but distinctive locally and associated with other Knight era industrial activity