Monument record 8422/1/2 - Irchester Country Park Opencast

[Wembley Pit] An opencast ironstone mine that was in use during the 20th century. The site had a working face 300 meters long and 30 meters high with many spoil heaps. Evidence for a railway has also been observed on the site. The site was owned by the South Durham Iron Company until 1969 and is currently planted with conifers and is a country park.

{1} All 7 trenches contained topsoil sealed quarry backfill, and the quarry edge could be seen in trench 5.

{5} Plan showing dates of tree planting after quarrying-all during the 1930s and early 1940s.

{6} An opencast ironstone mine that was in use during the 20th century. The site had a working face 300 meters long and 30 meters high with many spoil heaps. Evidence for a railway has also been observed on the site. The site was owned by the South Durham Iron Company until 1969 and is currently planted with conifers and is a country park.

{7, 8} The full extent of the opencast mine described above (Source {6}) was mapped as part of the Bedford Borough NMP project from aerial photographs and lidar imagery. Although only part of the opencast quarry centred at SP 91609 65995 is now used as a country park, the quarrying activities were carried out on both sides of Gipsy Lane. Mineral railways or tramways which transported the ironstone to the main railway lines are also visible and the main ones as they were visible in 1947 have also been mapped. One connects the southern workings to the northern workings and extended underneath Gipsy Lane at SP 90665 65710.

<1> Webster M., 1997, Archaeological Evaluation at Proposed Chester Farm Heritage Park, (checked) (Report). SNN44145.

<2> WEBSTER M., 1997, SMR report form, (checked) (SMR Report Form). SNN49267.

<3> Tonks E., 1990, The Ironstone Quarries of The Midlands (History, Operation and Railways): The Wellingborough Area, p.29-68 (unchecked) (Book). SNN45742.

<4> Carr, D., 2011, Irchester Ironstone Quarries: Key Dates and Events, (unchecked) (Book). SNN108267.

<5> Stewarts and Lloyds Minerals Limited, 1951, Irchester Area- Afforestation (Plan). SNN111077.

<6> Instone E., 1995, Iron Mining Industry: Site Assessment (Wakerley Calcining Kilns) (Report). SNN109474.

<7> Royal Air Force, Vertical Aerial Photography, RAF/CPE/UK/1994 RS 4232 13-APR-1947 (Photographs). SNN104890.

<8> Environment Agency, LIDAR Composite DTM - 1m, LIDAR SP9066/SP9166/SP9065/SP9165 Environment Agency 1M DTM 01 Oct 2014 - 31 May 2017 (Digital Plots). SNN111710.

<9> Bedford Borough Council HER, Undated, Bedford Borough NMP, MD003015 (Archive). SNN113023.

Record last edited

Oct 4 2024 2:15PM