Great Haigh Sough
Encyclopedia
The Great Haigh Sough is a tunnel or adit
driven under Sir Roger Bradshaigh's estate
in Haigh
, then in the historic county of Lancashire
. Coal had been dug on the estate since Tudor times
. The sough
drained Bradshaigh's coal pits, which produced coal
and cannel, and extended the life of the shallow workings, which were prone to flooding. The sough, a major investment was preferable to winding water from the workings by the primitive methods available at the time. Bradshaigh recorded a detailed survey of the construction of the sough and its shafts with instructions for maintenance so that, "the benefit of my 16 years labour, charge and patience (which it pleased God to crown with success for me and my posterity) may not be lost by neglect."
The 1120 yards (1,024.1 m) long tunnel, up to six feet wide and four feet deep, had ten ventilation shafts each 3 yards (2.7 m) wide and up to 49 yards (44.8 m) deep. Driven from Bottling Wood to Park Pit, work started in 1653 and finished in 1670. The shafts were used to remove rock as the miners cut the tunnel. Such was the importance of the sough that in 1687, the bailiff, Thomas Winstanley, ordered its inspection and cleaning from bottom to top at least every two months and repairs to be speedily expedited. The sough discharged iron rich minewater into the Yellow Brook in Bottling Wood, discolouring it and the River Douglas
downstream with ochre deposits. The sough was extended to Aspull Pumping Pit in 1866. Regular inspections were carried out until 1923 and its abandonment led to the flooding of the Aspull and Westhoughton pits in 1932.
The sough's entrance portal
is constructed from brick and stone and leads into a brick lined culvert
. The portal and two metres of the culvert is a Scheduled Monument. The sough still drains the old mine workings.
In 2004 the Coal Authority
provided a passive treatment plant in a scheme costing £750.000. Work was undertaken by Ascot Environmental who built a pumping station, pipelines, settlement lagoons, reedbeds and landscaped the site. The scheme has improved the water quality, removed manganese
and iron
which caused the discolouration and allowed fish to repopulate the brook.
Adit
An adit is an entrance to an underground mine which is horizontal or nearly horizontal, by which the mine can be entered, drained of water, and ventilated.-Construction:...
driven under Sir Roger Bradshaigh's estate
Haigh Hall
Haigh Hall is a historic country house in Haigh, Greater Manchester, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building. The hall, built between 1827 and 1840 by James Lindsay, 7th Earl of Balcarres, replaced an ancient manor house and was his family's home...
in Haigh
Haigh, Greater Manchester
Haigh is a village and civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan in Greater Manchester, England. Historically a part of Lancashire, it is located next to the village of Aspull. The western boundary is the River Douglas which separates the township from Wigan. To the north a small brook...
, then in the historic county of Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. Coal had been dug on the estate since Tudor times
Tudor period
The Tudor period usually refers to the period between 1485 and 1603, specifically in relation to the history of England. This coincides with the rule of the Tudor dynasty in England whose first monarch was Henry VII...
. The sough
Sough
A sough is an underground channel for draining water out of a mine. Its ability to drain a mine depends on the bottom of the mine being higher than a neighbouring valley...
drained Bradshaigh's coal pits, which produced coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
and cannel, and extended the life of the shallow workings, which were prone to flooding. The sough, a major investment was preferable to winding water from the workings by the primitive methods available at the time. Bradshaigh recorded a detailed survey of the construction of the sough and its shafts with instructions for maintenance so that, "the benefit of my 16 years labour, charge and patience (which it pleased God to crown with success for me and my posterity) may not be lost by neglect."
The 1120 yards (1,024.1 m) long tunnel, up to six feet wide and four feet deep, had ten ventilation shafts each 3 yards (2.7 m) wide and up to 49 yards (44.8 m) deep. Driven from Bottling Wood to Park Pit, work started in 1653 and finished in 1670. The shafts were used to remove rock as the miners cut the tunnel. Such was the importance of the sough that in 1687, the bailiff, Thomas Winstanley, ordered its inspection and cleaning from bottom to top at least every two months and repairs to be speedily expedited. The sough discharged iron rich minewater into the Yellow Brook in Bottling Wood, discolouring it and the River Douglas
River Douglas
The River Douglas, also known as the River Asland or Astland, is a river that flows through Lancashire and Greater Manchester in the north-west of England...
downstream with ochre deposits. The sough was extended to Aspull Pumping Pit in 1866. Regular inspections were carried out until 1923 and its abandonment led to the flooding of the Aspull and Westhoughton pits in 1932.
The sough's entrance portal
Portal (architecture)
Portal is a general term describing an opening in the walls of a building, gate or fortification, and especially a grand entrance to an important structure. Doors, metal gates or portcullis in the opening can be used to control entry or exit. The surface surrounding the opening may be made of...
is constructed from brick and stone and leads into a brick lined culvert
Culvert
A culvert is a device used to channel water. It may be used to allow water to pass underneath a road, railway, or embankment. Culverts can be made of many different materials; steel, polyvinyl chloride and concrete are the most common...
. The portal and two metres of the culvert is a Scheduled Monument. The sough still drains the old mine workings.
In 2004 the Coal Authority
Coal Authority
The Coal Authority is a non-departmental public body of the United Kingdom government.-History:It was established under the Coal Industry Act 1994 to manage certain functions previously undertaken by the British Coal Corporation , including ownership of unworked coal.It is situated in the south of...
provided a passive treatment plant in a scheme costing £750.000. Work was undertaken by Ascot Environmental who built a pumping station, pipelines, settlement lagoons, reedbeds and landscaped the site. The scheme has improved the water quality, removed manganese
Manganese
Manganese is a chemical element, designated by the symbol Mn. It has the atomic number 25. It is found as a free element in nature , and in many minerals...
and iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
which caused the discolouration and allowed fish to repopulate the brook.