HISTORY TO 1926
c. 1900 BC	Dating of charcoal found in smelting pit at Engine Vein.
1750 + or - 50 BC	Age (by carbon dating) of wooden shovel found at Brynlow and of smelting site at Engine Vein.
c. 75 BC	Carbon dating of timber in Roman shaft at Engine Vein
300 - 320 AD	Age of coins found at Engine Vein in Roman hoard
1598	Reference to "myne holes" in parish boundary walk.
(1688/92	Repeal of Mines Royal Act)
1693	Mr Legh of Ridge
1696	Mr Crosse and others. Dispute with Mr Legh
1700 -1710	Area may have been mined by Mr Abbadine
1758 -1768	Charles Roe and Macclesfield Copper Company
1770s	Mr Whitfield and Mr Heaton prospecting
1780s	Mr Patten from Warrington. Wizard Restaurant built, known at the time as "Miners Arms".
1791	Mines were working for copper and lead, possibly by Roe & Co
1804	Exploration by James Ashton
1805	Lease (1/1/1805) to Ashton and others for 14 years (Alderley Mine Company)
1806	Cobalt recognised at Alderley
1807	Steam powered crusher in Windmill Wood
1808	Agreement to sell cobalt to a Yorkshire pottery
1809	Experiments with cobalt ore in Wallasey
1810 -1811	Alderley Mining Company dissolved
1857	Area investigated by James Michell
1858	Lease taken out (12/4/58), opencast mining at West Mine
1859	Alderley Edge Mining Company Limited incorporated (13/8/59)
1861	Visit by British Association
1862	Michell killed by fall in mine in November
1863	West Mine crossing "Great Slide"
1864	Possible opening of Wood Mine
1865	Visit by Japanese and Stanley family
1866	"GL" marked initials in Brynlow
1869	Richer ore being worked
1870	Substantial drop in output
(1872	Metalliferous Mines Regulation Act 1872)
1873	Drop in quality of ore
1874	Working in Field area, Boyd Dawkins visit, wooden shovel found
1877	Boiler explosion and mine closed
1878	Sale of effects and Company wound up (24/5/78)
1911-1912	Alderley Mining Company Ltd operating
1914-1915	Allan Gibb (300 tons of ore, 35 tons of precipitate)
1916-1917	Only one Caretaker at mines
1918-1919	Alderley Copper Company Ltd operating
1926	Sale of effects - END OF MINING
HISTORY 1926 TO PRESENT
1929	Loss of two men in West Mine
1933	Popular area for juveniles, death of Evans
1940	Plan to make air-raid shelter in West Mine
1951	Cavers visit the mines. Article in British Spelaeological Association Journal
1955	Talk of restarting mining at West Mine
1957	"Teddy Boys" becoming major problem. Engine Vein side entrance blocked.
1957	Wood Mine Quarry filled in.
1960+	Wood Mine shafts filled. Wood Mine entrance filled.
1964	Wood Mine adit entrance blasted in
1969	Wood Mine reopened
1975	West Mine reopened
1980	Hough Level explored from Stump Shaft
1981	Engine Vein capped
1982	Brynlow Mine reopened
1985	Square Shaft cleared
1986	Hough Level reopened at Dickens Wood
1988	Bear Pit cleared, Temple Shaft cleared
1990	Wood Mine Adit reopened properly
1992	Hough Level cleared to Engine Vein
1994	Wooden shovel dated
1995	Roman coin hoard found
1997	Pot Shaft dug archaeologically during AELP
1999	Saddlebole dug archaeologically
2000	Extensions in Engine Vein. DCC website set up
2001	Part of the Edge scheduled as an ancient monument
2003	Educational website published by AELPHER
2005	Archaeological book published. AELP wrapped up with talks and walks.
2012	Revised edition of The Alderley Edge Mines published.
2016	The Story of Alderley - Living with the Edge published by AELP and Manchester University Press
2018	Reeking Mine extended

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