At the Bold Venture Mine ( http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/8262 ) there's a cist fifty, or so, metres from the entrance. There's a cairn field a short way away. Around about the mine there were carved stones and other monuments - most of them now wrecked. The mine itself is only half explored - a couple of decades ago - and seems to have been thoroughly scoured by the later miners, up until the 1920's. As the mine entrance is just a few metres from a strong little river the spoil was simply dropped into it and carried away downstream.

I am trying to 'wind', 'impel' or challenge Hob, et al., to have a wander down this mine in the light of the more recent Rock Art findings in Northumberland. There is also an ochre mine - exactly the same style of construction - a few miles away that would bear close examination. All it takes is a pair of wellies and a good torch. From what I can deduce from the arrangement of the remains in the valleys I'd say that the miners were little people - small farmers - and the big guys were 'in the big valleys'.