On
With Dave M as our guide we arrived at the site and Dave assisted us as we entered the mine entrance. Wearing our hard hats, we had to squeeze through a small hole but once we had got in, we were at the top of a long flight of stone steps. This was easier than entering the Swan Mine.
We followed Dave down the stairs and found ourselves in a large chamber. This mine felt very different from the Swan Mine. We noticed that there were many drawings over the walls of the chamber, some very good caricatures of the artist or people that he knew. There were dates and writings, so much to look at. The chambers had high roofs and seemed to be large and square in shape.
Dave showed us round, ensuring that all team members stayed together as he emphasised how easy it is to get lost in mines, as everything looks the same. Luckily for us, Dave knows the mines.
Here are some examples of the writings:
“They come and they go”
“Some get a clock and some, a medal”
“Mr. Brown is a nice man
He goes to church on Sundays
He prays to God
To give him Strength
Cuss his men on Monday”
In memory of little Alfie Austin
Passed away
After we had been given a little tour into some of the many chambers, we decided to split into two groups. A boy group and a girl group.
The boys went off and the girls settled inside a chamber to our right. A large post was laying on the floor (there were posts holding up the ceiling in some places). We sat on the post and decided that we would switch our torches off and sit in silence. The blackness enveloped us like a cloak. It is so hard to describe how intense the darkness affects you. Unlike the Swan Mine there were no drips and the only sound we could hear was the sound of our breathing. I felt that I could almost hear my own heartbeat. We sat suspended in nothingness and I saw a large, circular, blue light float across the line of my vision. I was the only person who saw this so I am unsure if I actually did see it or if it was something to do with my eyes.
We took turns in ‘calling out.’ We did not get any response at all although at times it felt like we were not alone.
Eventually the boys came back and joined us. We sat in the silent darkness again and ‘called out.’ Nothing happened.
As we sat there, a large booming noise was heard. It vibrated in the chamber and Dave said that it was a considerable rock-fall further inside the mine. It makes you realise how vulnerable you are while down in a mine.
We decided to go for another walk round. It was so interesting and quite creepy when we were looking at the drawn faces on the walls that just silently looked back at us.
We went into other chambers and ‘called out.’ We had absolutely no response whatsoever.
Finally, we walked back to the first chamber near the steps that led back up to the world. There were lots of tunnels leading off of this chamber. I threw small stones into the tunnels asking for them to be thrown back. None were thrown back. Dave said that many men would have died down there so we ‘called out’ to them and asked if they could whistle, let us hear their voice or movement in the mine. Again, we got no response at all.
Eventually as the Ridge Mine was so paranormally quiet and the atmosphere flat we decided to leave.
We ended the evening with a drink in the local pub. We were very welcomed by the regulars and Matt sang expertly at their Karaoke evening.
Twilight Shadows Paranormal would like to thank Dave M for taking us down into Ridge Mine. Although all was quiet with any spirits that may exist down there, we all really enjoyed the experience.
Written by: Maria Williams
