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Roman coinsMain Chamber Engine VeinKey Chamber, Wood MineTom's Shaft in the Cobalt MineBlue ShaftNorth Boundary Fault, Wood MineFinlow MineWood MineHistoric artefactsDevil's GraveWorkings on the vein, Engine VeinDoc MineThe Beacon before demolitionT'owd man in Wood MineSRT in Engine Vein1930s visitors at BrynlowWest MineThe Laundry Chute in West Mine
Gaping Gill, YorkshireSnailbeach Mine, ShropshireColonnades: Lancaster HoleBull Pot of the WitchesNettle Pot, DerbyshireBagshawe Cavern, DerbyshireCarrs Mine, NentheadLennies Cave, MatienzoMoel Fferna slate mine, N WalesOgof Dydd Byraf, North WalesGiants Hole, DerbyshireRampgill Mine, NentheadOld Ing Cave, Yorkshire DalesWartling Bunker, KentCoventosa, SpainStockport air raid sheltersMagpie Mine, DerbyshireConiston Copper Mine, LakesFirst Pitch, P8 DerbyshireAlum Pot, Yorkshire DalesAven d'Orgnac, France
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West Mine is the largest mine under Alderley Edge, and the main chamber, not far in from the entrance, is the largest single open space underground at Alderley. Nevertheless, it is small by comparison with mine chambers elsewhere in the UK. The chamber was excavated by using hand drills and gunpowder and probably took a couple of years to get as large as it is now.
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In the past, one could almost literally walk into a new cave in Great Britain but these days almost all the open cave entrances have been explored. Now, it is necessary to dig one's way into unexplored cave passage. Sometimes, this means removing loose boulders, at other times it means shovelling out clay and sand. If there is a strong probability of a cave, then cavers will even resort to using explosives to enlarge a passage. This dig, reinforced with scaffolding, is at the end of Pooles Cavern in Derbyshire.

The next public event at the Alderley Edge mines is an evening trip at Wood Mine on Wednesday 22/07/2026.To find out if there is still space available, go to the booking page.

In case of emergency at Alderley Edge, call POLICE 999 and ask for DERBYSHIRE CAVE RESCUE.   They will call out local team members.  Do NOT call for the Fire Brigade.