Odin Mine: Oldest Disused Lead Mine & Cave Explore - Castleton, Peak District, Derbyshire, England

Odin Mine is a disused lead mine in the Peak District National Park, situated near the village of Castleton, England. It is the oldest documented mine in Derbyshire and is thought to be one of the oldest lead mines in England. The mine is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and has biological and geological significance within the Castleton Site of Special Scientific Interest. The origins of Odin Mine are unclear; many Peak District guidebooks and sources say that the mine was first worked by the Romans and subsequently by the Saxons and the Danes. However, there is no historical evidence to back this up. The use of the name “Odin” is often cited as evidence that the mine was named by the Danes after their chief god. The first mention of the mine in official records was in 1280. In the early days before explosives, the rock was weakened by fire setting: this involved heating the rock overnight by leaving fires lit and then cooling the rock with water the next morning causing the rock to shatter. The mine is