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 Ceredigion, Wales
- Bwlch Glas Mine, Tal-y-bont, Ceulanymaesmawr, Ceredigion, Wales
- Cwmystwyth Mine, Cwmystwyth, Upper Llanfihangell-y-Creuddyn, Ceredigion, Wales
- Great South Tolgus, Tarewaste, Cornwall
- Greystone Quarry, Lezant, Cornwall
- Hingston Down Quarry, Gunnislake, Cornwall
- Melbur China Clay Pit, St Stephen-in-Brannel, Cornwall
- Penberthy Croft Mine, St Hilary, Cornwall
- Restormel Royal Iron Mine, Lostwithiel, Cornwall - formerly Trinity Mine
- South Caradon Mine, St Cleer, Cornwall
- Trevinnick Mine, St Kew, Cornwall
- West Wheal Jewel, St Day, Cornwall
- Wheal Cock, St Just, Cornwall
- Wheal Sparnon, Redruth, Cornwall
- Wheal Wrey, St Ive, Cornwall
- Brandy Gill Mine, Caldbeck Fells, Cumbria
- Carrock Mine, Caldbeck Falls, Cumbria
- Dry Gill Mine, Caldbeck Falls, Cumbria
- Eskett Quarry, Copeland, Cumbria
- Florence-Ullcoats Mine, Egremont, Cumbria
- Goose Green Mine, Frizington, 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.
- Drakelands Mine, Sparkwell, Devon
- Hemerdon Mine, Sparkwell, Devon
- High Down Quarry, West Buckland, Devon
- New England Quarry, Yealmpton, Devon
- Virtuous Lady Mine, Buckland, Devon
- 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
- Breedon Hill Quarry, Breedon on the Hill, Leicestershire
- Croft Quarry, Croft, Leicestershire
- New Cliffe Hill Quarry, Cliffe Hill Quarry, Stanton under Bardon, Leicestershire
For the rest of our British stock, see below.