Old Ham Mine (Clearwell Caves)

Specimens of Goethite and Calcite are the best known from the site, although it’s certainly possible there are other minerals!

The Old Ham mine is part of the Old Bow and Old Ham Mines, a biological SSSI as a breeding site for horseshoe bats.

Clearwell Caves itself includes a range of caves and other mines, including Clearwell, Old Ham, Lambsquay, Old Bow, Oak Pit and New Dun, which were mined for ochre and iron ore from 100BC or earlier, but with the majority of the mining in the 19th century.

Clearwell Caves is a visitors attraction and still worked to produce ochre, which is sold to visitors and local artists. There is also an underground Halloween party hosted in the caves.

Further reading

• https://www.mindat.org/loc-211353.html
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clearwell_Caves
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Bow_and_Old_Ham_Mines
• https://clearwellcaves.com/

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