Alderley Edge is also well known for its mining history and geological past. Beneath the lush woodland lie miles of dark tunnels and caverns which have long since been abandoned. Alderley Edge has been mined sporadically since Bronze Age times for copper and other economic minerals. Archaeological surveys have revealed that the Romans mined the area and since the 17th century several companies have worked the mines successfully. Mining ceased after several unsuccessful attempts to re-open the mines during the First World War.
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The Edge is composed of Triassic sandstones which are approximately 240 million years old. These were deposited in a semi-arid desert when the British Isles lay close to the equator. Ancient reptiles who gave rise to the dinosaurs struggled to survive in this unforgiving environment. Millions of years later these desert rocks were thrust upwards by colossal forces causing them to bend and fracture. Since then weathering and erosion has shaped the Edge into what we see today.
The Derbyshire Caving Club organises trips around the mines and run Open Weekends twice a year. For more information see their website.
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