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> Go to the history of Brandy Bottom
> Go to copies of the Brandy Bottom display boards
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> Go to photos of buildings and conservation work at Brandy Bottom
> Go to dates of work parties, a location map, and directions to Brandy Bottom
FINDS and NATURE
Finds
(1 foot rule indicates the size of many of the objects in photos taken before 2014. A yellow/black 30cm scale is used after that date. Unless otherwise stated, the photos are by Robin Whitworth.)
Parallel Motion Anchorage Point being uncovered in the passageway near the Cornish Engine House.
'Finish 1923' inscribed on the capping of the Pumping Shaft, September 2011.
Securing bolt on roof edge, Horizontal Engine House, October 2011.
Shaped stone found in November 2011.
Rail Chair, November 2011
Glass vial found outside the Cornish Engine House, November 2011. There is a bishop's crown embossed on the base.
Piece of glazed stoneware found outside Horizontal Engine House, February 2012. This could include the overflow for a sink.
Piece of glazed stoneware, shaped like the corner of a sink, found outside Horizontal Engine House, February 2012. Some more pieces, with a similar glaze, were found in the same area in August 2017.
Brick floor laid outside the Horizontal Engine House, March 2012
Almost complete example of roofing tile, found alongside the South Pit Heapstead, May 2012
Track spike found alongside the South Pit heapstead, May 2012
Pad with soft rubber face found alongside the South Pit heapstead, possibly a lubrication pad. May 2012
Shaped block found near South Pit heapstead, August 2012. Probably made of limestone, its use in a matter of conjecture.
Steps found at side of Cornish Engine House, September 2012. A later photo shows them after all the surrounding spoil was removed in June 2017.
Jennings-type double helix drill bit for carpenter's brace found in the alcove of the Cornish Engine House, October 2012
The engine bed in Cornish Engine House in October 2012, before being covered up again for protection. There is an annular groove worn into the bed, with an outer diameter of 64" and an inner diameter of 55". The diameter of the cylinder was 60". A crack, just to the right of the 1 ft scale, runs across the bed.
Bull-nosed brick with Shortwood stamped into frog, May 2013
Steps outside Vertical Engine House, August 2013
Pole end chain found near base of Old Pit heapstead ramp, February 2014
Metal Palmolive shaving stick container found inside Old Boiler House, March 2014 (5cm x 5 cm scale)
Some of the glass bottles found near the base of the Old Pit heapstead ramp, March 2014 (1 ft scale).
Metal shovel with worn blade found outside Old Boiler House, April 2014
Bricks found in spoil from inside of Vertical Engine House, April 2014. One has the name 'Shortwood' in the frog, while the other has an ornate frog with inwardly curved corners.
Beam socket in north-western wall of Vertical Engine House, May 2014
Fragment of Sloan's Liniment bottle found by northern corner of New Pit heapstead, May 2014. An intact bottle, with cap, was found at the base of the Old Pit heapstead ramp in February 2018.
Remains of steps on top of Pumping Shaft crossover, July 2014
North-east wall of Vertical Engine House, July 2014
North-west wall of Vertical Engine House, July 2014
Fragments of pot with internal glazing found in Vertical Engine House, October 2014
Fragment of tile with part of maker's name "Phil...". This was found in the Vertical Engine House in February 2015, but another fragment with the name "Phillip's" was found near the Fan Ducts in August 2017.
Close-up of the Thompson & Southwick logo on the winding wheel sheave by the cycle path, April 2105
Sole and heel of a hobnailed boot found in the winding drum pit of the vertical Engine House, June 2105
Glass stopper found in the winding drum pit, Vertical Engine House. It was made by Cannington Shaw in St Helens between 1875 and 1892, June 2015. (10 cm x 10 cm scale)
The layout of the drains in the winding drum pit, Vertical Engine House, September 2105
The north-east end of the Vertical Engine House before the engine bed was unearthed, October 2105
Close-up of the engine bed in the Vertical Engine House, November 2105
Close-up of the securing nut on the engine bed in the top left of the previous photo. Unable to undo it despite trying to split it with a cold chisel, the scrap metal crew had to break the cylinder casing leaving a fragment still attached.
The northern fan duct before removal of spoil in December 2015 ...
... and after cleaning in January 2016 to reveal the sloping floor. The brick base of the fan housing is located at the far end.
Remains of damper found at heapstead (western) end of the southern fan duct, January 2016.
Part of a flanged wheel found in the southern tippler slot, Old Pit heapstead, January 2016. It may have come from a coal tub.
Square engine beds on a plinth to the north of the fan ducts. They may have secured two electric motors, used for driving the fan, as there is a length of armoured power cable between the beds and the brick wall, February 2016
Section of Top Hat rail found near Fan Engine House, February 2016.
The broken remains of what are thought to be pick heads. They were found on top of the Old Pit heapstead in April 2016. A complete pick head was later discovered.
Substantial metal plate at bottom of engine bay, Vertical Engine House, August 2016.
One half of an ammonite fossil was uncovered when a piece of building stone split ...
... and the other half, August 2016
Two 15" long bolts found in spoil at the bottom of the engine bay in the Vertical Engine House, August 2016
A 15" long cranked spanner found in spoil at the bottom of the engine bay in the Vertical Engine House, August 2016
A piece of glass tubing that may have come from a manometer used to monitor the performance of the condenser. This was found in spoil at the bottom of the engine bay in the Vertical Engine House, September 2016
Solid platform at bottom of engine bay, Vertical Engine House, September 2016.
Remains of a metal bucket found in spoil at the bottom of the engine bay in the Vertical Engine House, September 2016
40" long lifting chain found in spoil at the bottom of the engine bay in the Vertical Engine House, September 2016
Iron casting with a 2" wide channel machined around the outer edge, found in spoil at the bottom of the flywheel slot in the Vertical Engine House, September 2016
Iron bracket with reinforcing rib, found in spoil at the bottom of the pit below the engine bed, September 2016. This is similar to a bracket at the base of long holding down bolts outside the south-west wall of the building, and probably was originally attached to a holding down bolt inside the building.
15" long latch hook, found in spoil at the bottom of the pit below the engine bed, September 2016
Coach-bolt (left) and -screw, found in spoil at the bottom of the pit below the engine bed, September 2016
Lumps of spoil containing iron objects found at bottom of pit below engine bed, Vertical Engine House, September 2016 ...
... which contained these iron artefacts, October 2016
Iron plates at bottom of holding down bolts in the flywheel slot, Vertical Engine House, October 2016
Well in bottom of Vertical Engine House, October 2016.
Iron guide found at bottom of engine bay in the Vertical Engine House, October 2016. An identical one was found outside the Old Boiler House in October 2017. Both have now been identified as guides to stop the cages twisting in the shaft.
Structure uncovered outside south-east wall of Cornish Engine House, October 2016. Photo by K Kemp
Culvert discovered in November 2016 at the southern end of the pond.
Metal handle found near the southern tippler slot when leveling the top of the Old Pit heapstead, January 2017
Pipe found near the a possible tippler slot on the north-west side of the New Pit heapstead, January 2017
Bracket found in slot on the north-west side of the New Pit heapstead, February 2017 ...
... and after removal from the slot, February 2017
Brick forming part of the foundations for the egg-ended boiler. It has a crown and the legend JOHNSON AND... stamped into the face, February 2017 The same brick can be seen in a later photo after cleaning.
North-west wall of winding ramp, New Pit heapstead, in February 2017
Two lengths of wire rope joined by a clamp, close to the north-west wall of winding ramp, New Pit heapstead, in February 2017
4" long tea pot lid discovered on the top of the New Pit heapstead, February 2017
1" fragment of pottery with a blue pattern on the concave side, found by the southern corner of the Cornish Engine House in February 2017
Two fragments of pottery with a blue floral pattern on the outside, found by the southern corner of the Cornish Engine House in February 2017
The same brick seen in an earlier photo after cleaning. The maker's name can now be seen as JOHNSON ANDREWS & CO, February 2017
Brick-lined holes in the north-west wall of the New Pit heapstead that were uncovered when the ivy was stripped back, February 2017
Half-pint capacity, thick-walled glass bottle with the inscription ‘John Arnold & Sons, Wickwar’ in raised lettering around the shoulder. This has an internal screw thread in the neck, and may have been used for a fizzy drink such as ginger beer. This brewery was closed down after it was taken over by the Bristol Brewery Georges & Co in 1917. The bottle was found in the pond area, March 2017
Two pint capacity bottle found in the pond area, March 2017. The broken necks of two other similar bottles were found nearby.
Fragment of a clear glass bottle found in the pond area, March 2017. The oval base is 2¾” by 11/8” in size, and the side carries the inscription ‘Ross, Elliott & Weston, Leicester’ in raised lettering. The company was known to be ‘wine, spirit, ale, stout and cider merchants’, and this may be the remains of a spirit bottle, say the size below a ¼ bottle, but of very uncertain date.
Rail fishplate found when removing spoil from the winding ramp on the New Pit heapstead, March 2017
Part of the uneven brick floor of a building that stood at the top of the New Pit heapstead, April 2017. Close-ups of two areas can be seen in the following photos.
Close-up of the sunken brick floor at the western corner of the building seen in the previous photo, April 2017
Close-up of what appears to be a deliberately constructed pedestal in the floor of the building, April 2017
Slot in north-west wall of New Pit heapstead after removal on encroaching ivy, April 2017. A close-up of one end of the slot can be seen in the next photo.
Close-up of one end of the slot in the north-west wall of the New Pit heapstead, April 2017
Inside view of one end of the egg-ended boiler, May 2017
Distinctively shaped glass bottle found in the Old Boiler House, May 2017
'Southwells' logo at base of the glass bottle seen in the previous photo, May 2017
Cobbled floor being uncovered in eastern corner of Old Boiler House, May 2017
Neck of a stoneware flagon used by 'Pickup & Co' of Bristol, June 2017. This was found to fit together with two other fragments that were found in October, allowing the jar to be dated to 1925.
A 8" high bottle with G C King in raised letters on one side, found in the Pond area, June 2017. G C King was a mineral water bottler, with a factory in St Pauls, Bristol between 1888 and the 1950s. The company's trademark, Mr Pickwick standing on a leaf, appears on the other side in a 3" high logo.
A 7" high bottle with Lamb & Watt in raised letters on one side, found in the Pond area, June 2017.
A 6" high bottle with Scotts Emulsion in raised letters on one side, found in the old Boiler House, June 2017. Scott's Emulsion was a mixture of cod liver oil with glycerine added as a sweetener. This bottle still holds a small quantity of a whitish emulsion.
8 1/2” high bottle from T Brooke, Bristol, found in the Old Boiler House, June 2017. This design can be dated to some time between the company's founding in 1861, and its amalgamation with Batten and Prudencio in 1889 to form Brooke and Prudencio. An example of a Brooke and Prudencio bottle was found in the pond area in October 2017.
A close-up of the logo found on the bottle seen in the previous photo, June 2017.
A barrel hoop largely buried in spoil in the Old Boiler House ...
... and freed from the spoil, June 2017.
Hole in cobbled floor of Old Boiler House, June 2017.
Area outside south-west wall of Cornish Engine House cleared of spoil down to original working surface, June 2017.
An unusually shaped nut attached to a 10" long bolt, June 2017.
A complete pickhead of a type used by miners, June 2017. The broken remains of others had been found on top of the Old Pit heapstead.
The broken-off bowl of a clay pipe found when clearing spoil from outside the south-west wall of the Cornish Engine House, July 2017. While a number of broken-off stems have been found, this is the first complete bowl.
The base of a platform outside the south-west wall of the Cornish Engine House. The stone surface has been removed at some time in the past, leaving one broken stone which has been marked with an arrow. (See close-up in next photo) (July 2017)
Close-up of the stone marked with an arrow in the previous photo. The drill hole running upwards from its base suggests that the stone was originally used elsewhere. (July 2017)
Inside of alcove under platform outside south-west wall of Cornish Engine House. The low brick platform can be seen on the left hand side of the photo. (July 2017)
A 1" diameter military-style brass button found in the Old Boiler House, July 2017. The central shield has been damaged, making it difficult to determine its association.
A 3 7/8" high salt glaze pot found in the Old Boiler House, July 2017.
A piece of glazed stoneware found outside the north-west wall of the Horizontal Engine House, August 2017.
A piece of glazed stoneware found outside the north-west wall of the Horizontal Engine House, August 2017. This, and the piece seen in the preceeding photo, are similar to those found in the same area in February 2012
The 'LD' logo on a milk bottle used by the Longs dairy in Downend, found in the Old Boiler House, August 2017.
3 fluid oz capacity bottle, found in the Old Boiler House, August 2017. The distinctive logo on the back can be seen in the next photo below, while the markings on the base can be seen in the one after that. (1/2 cm squares)
Close-up of the logo on the bottle seen in the above photo.
Close-up of the markings on the base of the bottle seen in the photo two above. Close-examination of the original shows that there are acute accents above both the 'e's, suggesting that the bottle may be French.
Fragment of tile with the maker's name 'Phillips' found by the Fan Ducts during a site clear-up, August 2017.
The inside of the door to the Old Boiler house after the all the spoil was removed, September 2017.
This broken neck of a glazed stoneware flagon was found at the entrance to the Old Boiler House in September 2017. It is marked with 'Pearson & Co (Chesterfield) Ltd' and 'Huntingdon'. Pearson & Co were a Derbyshire company making stoneware.
This 6" square tile was found about 200 yards down the cycle path in September 2017. It was made by Cattybrook Brick, and the presence of cracks at the edges suggests it was classed as a second.
A metal guide found outside the entrance to the Old Boiler House in October 2017. It is identical to the one found in the well in the Vertical Engine House in October 2016. Both have now been identified as guides to stop the cages twisting in the shaft.
Two fragments from a stoneware jar found outside the entrance to the Old Boiler House in November 2017. The full inscription reads "Peter Showell Wine & Spirit Merchant Oldbury"
Intact Sloan's Liniment bottle found near the base of the Old Pit heapstead ramp, February 2018. It is probably of domestic rather than a mining origin as it was found in an area that was known to be used as a dump by the the nearby cottages.
A somewhat battered metal cigarette case found near the base of the Old Pit heapstead ramp, February 2018. Again it is probably of domestic origin for the same reason as the previous artefact.
A metal plate found in the same area as the two previous artefacts in February 2018. It may be a base plate for a hand-powered water pump.
A 17" long section of bridge rail found when clearing vegetation from the edge of the New Pit heapstead ramp, March 2018.
A tapered firebrick, made by Rufford in Stourbridge, found in the under croft of the Horizontal Engine House, October 2018.
A tapered firebrick, stamped with a 'B' as a maker's mark, found in the under croft of the Horizontal Engine House, October 2018.
This quart bottle, with stopper, was found among the rubble of the under croft of the Horizontal Engine House in November 2018. It is marked with 'Georges Bristol' so it would have been used by the Georges Bristol Brewery on the Floating Harbour. The company was founded around 1730, and was taken over by Courage in 1961. Brewing ceased in 1999, and the site was subsequently redeveloped. The bottle may have been left in the under croft when the false floor was built.
Nature
Scarlet Tiger Moth, June 2011
Insect, possibly male Marmalade Hoverfly, on wild flower, June 2011. The female can be seen in a later photo.
One of the many species of wild flowers growing on site, June 2011
One of the many species of wild flowers growing on site, June 2011
One of the many species of wild flowers growing on site, June 2011
Some of the wildflowers growing on top of the New Pit heapstead, June 2012
Vegetation growth during 2012. The front of the Horizontal Engine House in February 2012 ...
... in May 2012 ...
... in June 2012 ...
... and in October 2012
Wildflowers growing on top of New Pit heapstead, July 2013
The top of the New Pit heapstead on a cold January morning ...
... and at the height of summer (July 2014)
Damselfly on the New Pit heapstead, June 2014
Speckled Wood butterfly at base of old Pit heapstead ramp, April 2015
Insect, possibly Oedemera nobilis, on wildflower on New Pit heapstead, June 2015
Herb Robert growing at base of Old Pit heapstead, June 2015
Poplar Hawk-moth, July 2015
Purple form of Field Grasshopper in picnic area, July 2015
Butterfly, possibly Large Skipper or Essex Skipper, New Pit heapstead, July 2015
Honeysuckle growing along boundary fence, July 2015
Evening primrose growing along base of Old Pit heapstead, August 2015
Peacock butterfly, April 2016. The damage to its left hind wing may have happened when it escaped from a bird.
New leaves growing on tree outside the Horizontal Engine House, April 2016
Bluebells growing beside cycle path near site, April 2016
An as yet unidentified wildflower growing beside cycle path near site, April 2016
Bee foraging from wildflower growing beside cycle path near site, April 2016
Bittersweet growing in New Pit enclosure, June 2016
Wildflower, possibly Forget-me-not, growing in New Boiler area, June 2016
Mouse disturbed when a stone stockpile was rebuilt, June 2016
Love-in-the-Mist flowering near New Pit enclosure, July 2016. It is growing in an area that was churned up by a forklift earlier in the year, which may account for its appearance as it is a garden escapee and not a wildflower.
Insect, possibly a female Marmalade hoverfly, on bramble flower, August 2016. A male can be seen in an earlier photo.
Wildflower in Old Pit enclosure, August 2016.
With thighs like an Olympic weightlifter, this False Blister beetle was found on the New Pit heapstead in August 2016.
Large bindweed growing on fence around New Pit enclosure, August 2016.
Wildflower, possibly Rosebay Willowherb, beside platelayers hut to the north of the site, September 2016.
Robin watching while the nearby vegetation was being cleared. It finally got what it was waiting for - a big fat worm, January 2017.
Coltsfoot in flower on top of New Pit heapstead, March 2017. (cm scale)
Lesser Celandine in flower at edge of cycle path near the site entrance, March 2017.
Wildflower, possibly a Bugle, on top of New Pit heapstead, April 2017 ... (cm scale)
... and a close-up of its flowers.
Comma butterfly near the entrance to the Old Pit, April 2017.
Blossom on tree alongside the cycle path, April 2017.
Frog rescued from sump in Vertical Engine House, May 2017. It was released in the pond area after the photo was taken.
Tiny, 2-3 mm, wildflower on top of New Pit heapstead, May 2017. This may be an 'Early Forget-me-not'.
Small wildflower on near entrance to Old Pit enclosure, June 2017. It is on the public path between the enclosures, so is liable to be walked on.
Ladybird, possibly a Harlequin Ladybird, June 2017.
Large White butterfly at rest near Fan Engine House, June 2017.
Red Admiral butterfly at rest beside the cycle path, June 2017.
Toad discovered when clearing a stone stockpile in the Old Boiler House, June 2017.
Wildflower, probably a Scarlet Pimpernel, growing beside the path to the Fan Engine House, June 2017.
Wildflower growing on top of the New Pit heapstead, June 2017.
Hoverfly on wildflower in Old pit enclosure, June 2017.
Pond from cycle path, April 2018.
Chimney from across the Pond area, framed by spring blossom, April 2018.
Black Bryony growing on New Pit boundary fence, May 2018.
Grass snake, estimated to be over 2 feet long, found under the polythene sheeting covering the brickwork at the end of the East Flue, May 2018.
A fine crop of plums growing near the pond. They were subsequently picked and eaten at lunchtime during a work party, August 2018.
A Common Darter sunning itself outside the Horizontal Engine House, August 2018.
Brambles ripening on the bushes during the Heritage Open days weekend, September 2018 ...
Unless otherwise stated, the photos are by R Whitworth.
> Go to main Brandy Bottom page
> Go to the history of Brandy Bottom
> Go to copies of the Brandy Bottom display boards
> Go to progress at Brandy Bottom
> Go to photos of buildings and conservation work at Brandy Bottom
> Go to dates of work parties, a location map, and directions to Brandy Bottom
< Back to Project List
Page updated 27 Nov 18
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