MineArchiveMines in Dorset
Dorset's mining history is dominated by stone rather than metal — Tilly Whim, three small quarries cut directly into the Purbeck coastal cliffs near Swanage, worked the same Jurassic limestone beds that produced Portland's famous building stone, supplying coastal fortifications during the Napoleonic Wars before demand collapsed in 1812. Reinvented as a Victorian tourist attraction and closed to the public since 1976, the caves survive today as a protected bat roost within Durlston Country Park.
Open the full map for the year filters and disasters.
| Mine | Worked | Commodities |
|---|---|---|
| Broadcroft Quarry | 1900s (merged family quarries)–Still active | Limestone |
| Coombefield Quarry | 1890s–By 2006 | Freestone |
| Furzebrook and Norden Ball Clay Pits | Worked from the 18th century–1999 (last underground working) | Ball Clay |
| Jordans Mine | 2008 (mine–Still active | Limestone |
| Kimmeridge Oil Shale Workings | c. 400 BC–c. 1890 | Oil Shale, Limestone, Alum |
| King Barrow Quarry | 1800s–c. 1900 | Limestone |
| Norman's Quarry | Early 20th century–1995 | Limestone |
| Perryfield Quarry | 1890s–Still active | Limestone |
| Portland Stone Quarries | From the Roman period–Still active | Limestone |
| Purbeck Marble Quarries | From the Roman period–1990s | Limestone |
| Tilly Whim Caves | 18th century–Around 1812 | Freestone |
| Tout Quarry | c. 1780–1982 | Limestone |
| Winspit | 1719–1953 (surface working ceased c. 1940) | Freestone |
| Yeolands Quarry | to 2000s (largely redundant) | Limestone |
Record created: 22 August 2026