Bell pits

Bell pits were a shallow mining method used to extract minerals (especially coal or iron ore) located near the surface. They had a narrow vertical shaft which widened at the bottom, creating an upside-down bell shape, as miners dug outward. Typically, they didn't use timber supports, so miners abandoned the pit once the roof became unsafe or the pit flooded. They simply sank another shaft nearby, often connecting them, leading to landscape-scarring clusters of pits, often following a seam of coal. Material was extracted by hand and hauled up using baskets and manual, or horse-drawn winches (gin circles). Bell pits were common from medieval times and a few continued in use until the early 20th century, including in the area around Ford in Northumberland.The remains of the bell pits can often be seen as depressions in the ground, some shafts are surrounded by collars of spoil, forming shaft mounds. As deposits near the surface became exhausted,  this led to the transition to deep shaft mining, which required supports, ventilation, and water management.

Illustration of a small bell pit.

An example of a cluster of over 100 bell pits, the remains of which can be seen on Alnwick Moor.