Hillhead 2022
We are busy learning about quarrying so where better to go than Hillhead 2022? This is one of the largest exhibitions of quarrying, construction and recycling equipment and ancillary products. It has lots of equipment on display and live demonstrations of it. I had a chat with the staff on the Archaeological Research Services Ltd – they have been involved in a lot of archaeology in quarries and had some of their finds on display. These included musket balls, roman pottery and pre-historic flint tools all of which were found in Derbyshire quarries. They were almost as excited about the new museum as we are and we look forward to working together as part of that project.
The images are of the view down to the quarry floor where most of the exhibitors are based.
We have been down to Bath to take a look at the David Pollard collection of quarrying artefacts which are not currently accessible to the public. There are over 4000 artefacts in this collection ranging from hand tools used from the seventeenth century through to this large Samson arc shearer which was last used in Monks Park Quarry. Most of the collection relates to dimension (solid block) quarrying. Our thanks go to Nina, Mary, Mike and Doug for showing us around the collection and sharing some of the stories of quarrying in the Bath area.
The National Stone Centre
We are busy working away behind the scenes. The National Stone Centre and Peak District Mining Museum have just submitted a grant application to the Everyday Heritage grant. If successful this will lead to a community project recording the life of local quarry workers and miners. Keep your fingers crossed for us!
New Museum building sketches
These are the architect’s initial sketches for the new buildings at the National Stone Centre – one of which will house the Museum.
Click an image for a larger version.
We now need to know what YOU think of the buildings. The large sketches will be on display in the cafe area of the National Stone Centre with comments cards or visit www.facebook.com/pdhms to see all of the plans and then email your comments to mail@peakmines.co.uk. In these sketches the Museum space is not large enough – the architect’s brief did not include details of who was moving there – but we are now working together with Babenko Associates to create the best possibe space.
The Institute of Quarrying
You can read the Institute of Quarrying information about our hopeful move to the
National Stone Centre by clicking here.
The link will take you to IQ’s website – do have a good look around it whilst you are there!
The National Stone Centre
We said we had some exciting news to share: We are exploring the opportunity to relocate to National Stone Centre near Wirksworth.
The opportunity for the Peak District Mining Museum to move to a new home has arisen following the 2021 merger of the NSC with the Institute of Quarrying (IQ). The shared ambition of the IQ and NSC is to create a world class visitor experience and an internationally significant centre of excellence for the quarrying and mineral products industry on the existing site of the NSC.
We are already working together to make this happen. It will take a few years to achieve but with support from grants and the backing of Peak District Mines Historical Society and all our friends we know we can do it! We will have an even more amazing Museum which tells the story of both mining and quarrying.
Keep checking back here for updates!
Exciting news!
Watch this space for a major announcement expected in April 2022.
