Deep in the heart of Hutton Lowcross Wood, below the Hanging Stone, this wall of dressed sandstone is a bit of a mystery. It forms a small recess and seems to be on the same level as the old jet workings but these don’t usually have stonework associated with them being just small scale drifts into the hillside. And it’s above the ironstone level.
So if anyone has ideas please let me know.
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I’ve taken a quick look at the 1:2500 OS maps for the area and a structure is shown at NZ 59311 13455, is that the location of this wall?
The 1894 map shows the structure on the line of ‘old jet workings’ with a drift located immediately above it and a spoil heap below it on the other side of the forest track. As such I would hazard a guess it is some kind of loading dock for the jet mine.
The structure is still shown on the 1968 map.
Grid ref. is near enough. It has the remains of three walls and a hearth with flue so definitely a shelter of some sort.
On the early OS maps this wood was known as Sawmill Wood, perhaps this was the sawmill. I would imagine that the jet drifts would require timber, so the location may fit.
More inclined still to think of it as sort of bothy/shelter. Had a look at the 1895 map and Sawmill Wood is named on the next spur east and this shelter would be about the upper limit of the wooded area near a boundary fence. A sawmill is likely to have been lower down to ease transporting the timber.
Come across any reference to Haswell’s Hut, beside the Percy Rigg road? Aside from Ord’s mention?
I’m had a look through my notes and books but can’t find any other references. I’ll let you know if I come across anything.
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