MEM15332 - Bearland Wood Ironstone Mine Ventilation Flue (Monument)

Ventilation flue built in 1860. Fragment of datestone which appears to have read (BHIO CO/MDX)XXLX found at bottom of stack in 1960. A recess in the stack from which the datestone may have fell can be seen half way up the south side of the stack. It is possible the adjoining air shaft was first sunk by Sir Thomas Lethbridge in 1840 as adit number one appears to have been driven outward from the shaft bottom. [1] A ventilation flue was built by Lethbridge to provide an adeqaute air supply to No 1 adit. It lies at SS 9735 3578 on the steep north facing valley side. The impressive stone chimney was built in 1860 and was connected to the adit by a shaft which is visible 10 metres to the north. The chimney is in reasonably good condition although it appears to be in urgent need of repointing to prevent deterioration. It is fenced off and has recently been cleared of vegetation. [2-4] The chimney was subject to a condition survey in March 2002. It was noted to be suffering from serious weather erosion of the mortar with the more pronounced wear occurring on the weather side, with a pronounced lean on this side. [5] Tall circular masonry chimney with surviving fire hearth. Surviving sections of air duct at ground level, which linked the chimney to the adit below. Upper part of chimney is missing and the surviving masonry is weathered and in need of repair. [6] The Scheduled Monument Condition Assessment of 2009 gave the site a survival score of 8. [8] The site was surveyed in July 2015 as part of the 2015 Exmoor Scheduled Monument Condition Assessment. It was given a survival score of 8. [9] SS 9734 3577. Ventilation flue in Chargot Wood. Scheduled. [10] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [11] The flue is mentioned in a publication on the industrial archaeology of Somerset. [12]