Old Brandlehow Mine
Keswich, Allerdale, Cumbria, UK
Old Brandlehow Mine was a lead mine which produced several minerals but most prized are the pyromorphite specimens from the area.
This mine seems to be known by several names, the National Trust calls it ‘Brandlehowe Mine’ and some old maps seem to refer to it as ‘Old Brandley Mine’. To add a little confusion, there does appear to be a ‘Brandley Mine’, too.
Mindat lists 18 mineral species from the site.
Brandlehow was worked in the 18th and 19th centuries but is likely to be significantly older than this – some of the shallower areas were cut before gunpowder. We know the mine was acquired and worked in 1819, and eventually closed in 1891.
The site is a world heritage site, according to the National trust.
Further reading:
- National Trust Heritage Records Online
- Mindat – 18 valid minerals listed.
- Old Cumbria Gazetteer, with old maps.
If you are interested in other classic British locales we may have stock from the following locales.
British locales
I have only included the pieces attributed to specific places; not simply 'Weardale' for example.
Click here for a full list of British minerals.
Angus, Scotland Bridgend, Wales Caerphilly, Wales Cardiff, Wales Ceredigion, Wales
- Bwlch Glas Mine, Tal-y-bont, Ceulanymaesmawr, Ceredigion, Wales
- Cwmystwyth Mine, Cwmystwyth, Upper Llanfihangell-y-Creuddyn, Ceredigion, Wales
- Bodelva Pit, Bodelva, St Blaise, Cornwall
- Botallack Mine, Botallack, St Just, Cornwall
- Dean Quarry, St Keverne, Cornwall
- Geevor Mine, Pendeen, St Just, Cornwall
- Great South Tolgus, Tarewaste, Cornwall
- Goonbarrow China Clay Pit, Bugle, Treverbyn, Cornwall
- Gravel Hill Mine, Perran Iron Lode, Perranzabuloe, Cornwall
- Greystone Quarry, Lezant, Cornwall
- High Cross, Brill, Constantine, Cornwall
- Hingston Down Quarry, Gunnislake, Cornwall
- Idless Woods, Truro, Cornwall
- Levant Mine, Trewellard, St Just, Cornwall
- Melbur China Clay Pit, St Stephen-in-Brannel, Cornwall
- Megiliggar Rocks (Tremearne pegmatite), Breage, Cornwall
- Old Gunnislake Mine, Clitters United Mines, Gunnislake, Calstock, Cornwall
- Penberthy Croft Mine, St Hilary, Cornwall
- Penlee Beach, Newlyn, Penzance, Cornwall
- Penlee Quarry, Newlyn, Penzance, Cornwall
- Pentireglaze Mine, Polzeath, St Minver, Cornwall
- Restormel Royal Iron Mine, Lostwithiel, Cornwall - formerly Trinity Mine
- South Caradon Mine, St Cleer, Cornwall
- South Crofty Mine, Pool, Carn Brea, Cornwall
- Ting Tang Mine, Carharrack, Cornwall
- Tresungers Mine, Port Isaac, St Endellion, Cornwall
- Trevarthian Downs Mine (Trevarthen Mine), St Hilary, Cornwall
- Trevinnick Mine, St Kew, Cornwall
- West Wheal Jewel, St Day, Cornwall
- Wheal Alfred, Great Wheal Alfred, Hayle, Cornwall
- Wheal Cock, Botallack Mine, Botallack, St Just, Cornwall
- Wheal Edward, Botallack, St Just, Cornwall
- Wheal Elizabeth, Great Hewas United Mines, St Ewe, Cornwall
- Wheal Gorland, St Day, Cornwall
- Wheal Pendarves, Killivose, Camborne, Cornwall
- Wheal Remfry China Clay Pit, Fraddon, St Enoder, Cornwall
- Wheal Sparnon, Redruth, Cornwall
- Wheal Tolvan (Wheal Tolvaen), Botallack Mine, Botallack, St Just, Cornwall
- Wheal Wrey, St Ive, Cornwall
- High Skears Mine, Middleton-in-Teesdale, County Durham
- Newlandside Quarry, Stanhope, County Durham
- Old Towns Quarry, Heighington, Darlington, County Durham
- Pike Law Mines, Newbiggin, County Durham
- Brandy Gill Mine, Caldbeck Fells, Cumbria
- Carrock Mine, Caldbeck Falls, Cumbria
- Driggith Mine, Caldbeck, Allerdale, Cumbria
- Dry Gill Mine, Caldbeck Falls, Cumbria
- Eskett Quarry, Copeland, Cumbria
- Florence Mine, Egremont, Cumbria
- Florence-Ullcoats Mine, Egremont, Cumbria
- Force Crag Mine, Coledale, Above Derwent, Allerdale, Cumbria
- Goose Green Mine, Frizington, Cumbria
- Hartley Birkett Mine, Hartley, Eden, Cumbria
- Hilton Mine, Scordale, Murton, Eden, Cumbria
- Kinniside Mine, Copeland, Cumbria
- Mexico Mine, Roughton Gill, Caldbeck, Allerdale, Cumbria
- Mowbray mine, Frizington, Cumbria
- Old Brandlehow Mine, Keswich, Cumbria
- Red Gill Mine, Roughton Gill, Caldbeck, Allerdale, Cumbria, uk
- Roughton Gill Mine, Caldbeck Falls, Cumbria
- Smallcleugh mine, Nenthead, Alston, Cumbria.
- Ullcoats Mine, Egremont, Cumbria
- Bampfylde Mine, North Molton, North Devon, Devon
- Bere Alston Mines, Bere Ferrers, West Devon, Devon
- Brent Hill Outcrop, South Brent, South Hams District, Devon
- Drakelands Mine, Sparkwell, Devon
- George and Charlotte Mine, Devon and Cornwall United Mines, Gulworthy, Devon
- Great Rock Mine, Hennock, Teignbridge, Devon
- Hemerdon Mine, Sparkwell, Devon
- High Down Quarry, West Buckland, Devon
- Littleham Bay, Budleigh Salterton, East Devon, Devon
- Meldon Quarry, Okehampton Hamlets, Devon, UK
- New England Quarry, Yealmpton, Devon
- Peak Hill, Sidmouth, East Devon, Devon
- South Bedford Mine, Gulworthy, Devon
- Virtuous Lady Mine, Buckland, Devon
- Wheal Exmouth, Christow, Teignbridge, Devon
- Whitestone Quarry, Bovey Tracey, Teignbridge, Devon
- Bowers Quarry, Isle of Portland, Weymouth and Portland, Dorset
- Charmouth Beach, Charmouth, West Dorset, Dorset
- Coombefield Quarry, Isle of Portland, Dorset
- Coatsgate Quarry, Moffat, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland
- Old Glencrieff Vein, Wanlockhead, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland
- Chipping Sodbury Quarry - formerly Hampstead Farm Quarry
- Hampstead Farm Quarry, now Chipping Sodbury Quarry
- Old Ham Mine (Clearwell Caves), Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England, UK
- Breedon Hill Quarry, Breedon on the Hill, Leicestershire
- Croft Quarry, Croft, Leicestershire
- Mountsorrel Quarry, Quorn, Charnwood, Leicestershire
- New Cliffe Hill Quarry, Cliffe Hill Quarry, Stanton under Bardon, Leicestershire
- Newhurst Quarry, Shepshed, Leicestershire
- Clevedon Beach, Clevedon, North Somerset
- Hartcliffe Rocks, Felton, Winford, North Somerset
- Stancombe Quarry, Flax Bourton, North Somerset
- Burgam Mine, Stiperstones, Shropshire
- Llynclys Quarry, Llanyblodwel, Shropshire
- Tankerville Mine, Hope-Shelve District, Shropshire
For the rest of our British stock, see below.