Perkinsbeach Mine

Overview

A lead and barytes mine in the Stiperstones orefield of south-west Shropshire, worked in two sections, Perkinsbeach itself and the separately operated New Venture to the north-east. Some 928 tons of lead ore were raised between 1870 and 1897 and 9,180 tons of barytes between 1889 and 1912, before final abandonment in 1925. A 1997 survey found most of its surface buildings ruinous, with open stopes and two open adits still visible.

History

Perkinsbeach Mine worked a vein within the Stiperstones lead-mining district, where mineralisation runs through the steeply-dipping Mytton Flags above the Stiperstones Quartzite, a district mined on and off from Roman times to the 1950s. Lead was worked from the 1850s in two sections, Perkinsbeach itself to the south-west and the separately operated New Venture to the north-east, which was re-equipped with steam winding engines after an 1870 takeover but worked only briefly despite the investment. The principal shaft, Maddox's Shaft, appears on both the 1882 and 1902 surveys. Some 928 tons of lead ore were raised between 1870 and 1897; barytes followed from 1889, with 9,180 tons raised to 1912, and the site was finally abandoned in 1925. Its operators are not recorded. It is one of the twelve sites described in the Shropshire Mines Trust's field guide to the Stiperstones mines, alongside the much better recorded Snailbeach, Tankerville and Ladywell.

Geology

A lead vein, with baryte in the same ground, in the Stiperstones district, where mineralisation runs through the steeply dipping Mytton Flags.

Workings

Worked in two sections -- Perkinsbeach itself to the south-west and the separately operated New Venture to the north-east, the latter re-equipped with steam winding engines after an 1870 takeover, though it worked only briefly despite the investment. The principal shaft, Maddox's Shaft, appears on both the 1882 and 1902 surveys. Some 928 tons of lead ore were raised between 1870 and 1897, and 9,180 tons of barytes between 1889 and 1912, before the site was finally abandoned in 1925.

Closure

928 tons of lead ore were raised between 1870 and 1897, and 9,180 tons of barytes between 1889 and 1912, before working ended.

What remains

A 1997 building survey found many of the mine's structures ruinous, unstable or showing local collapse: four buildings survive only as low stone walls, three others were judged unstable, and the former mine office buildings were comparatively stable. Multiple open stopes and two open adits remain visible, along with a buried spoil heap; access to the lower levels is restricted. Five original drainage levels were driven into the southern hillside, though not all have been relocated.

Low stone walls from four mine buildings, an office building in better repair, open stopes, two open adits, and a buried spoil heap.

Recorded claims

Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.

• The Stiperstones district's lead-zinc veins run through the steeply-dipping Mytton Flags above the Stiperstones Quartzite, worked on and off from Roman times to the 1950s. ¹
• Perkinsbeach is one of twelve sites -- alongside Snailbeach, Central Snailbeach, Myttonsbeach, Burgham, Tankerville, Pennerley, Bog Mine, Ladywell Mine, Grit Mines, Roman Gravels Mine and Wood Mine -- covered in the Shropshire Mines Trust's field guide to the Stiperstones mines. ²
• Perkinsbeach raised some 928 tons of lead ore between 1870 and 1897 and 9,180 tons of barytes between 1889 and 1912, before final abandonment in 1925. ³
• A 1997 survey found most of the mine's surface buildings ruinous or unstable, with four reduced to low stone walls; open stopes, two open adits and a buried spoil heap remain visible today. ³

Photographs & further reading

Sources

1. (secondary) Stiperstones — Shropshire Geological Society
2. (secondary) Field Guide to Stiperstones Mines (publication listing) — Shropshire Mines Trust
3. (primary) Perkins Beach Mine (Shropshire Historic Environment Record, PRN 01310) — Shropshire Council Historic Environment Record

Record created: 31 August 2026 · Last researched: 31 August 2026