Sandford, Rowberrow Warren and Iron Age Hillfort Circular Walk, Part VI,'The Descent Towards Dolebur
Channel: semw52
Date: 23/11/2017

The circular walk continues as I wander thru the tall pine trees keeping to the main tracks aware that there could be hidden dangers in the forest lie old Zinc-ore mines and lead mines---many a man in the 1800s  was killed or injured by collapsing mine shafts and tunnels--this area was a major mining area after  the 1700s until the late 18oos when the reduction in import taxes/ duties by the Government put this area out of business....I would also like to mention the effects of lead mining and poisoning on the local population---The Mendip Asylum  at Wells would have had records of the  effects of lead poisoning on the sanity of the miners, and the effects on animals grazing on the  land around the villages would have also been of significance--- people eat sheep and pigs and cows  and if these animals  eat grass on old mining areas, contaminated grass, this is passed into the food chain to humans-- Just a bit of local info as I wander around----I wonder if the local streams are tested for lead leeched from the grounds here ???---