Headframes and Sheave Wheels

"To represent mining I selected the headframes and sheave wheels, with their related buildings, at Mining Museums in Britain. Headframes, also known as gallows frames, are the tall structures erected over a mine shaft to carry the sheave wheels, over which a cable runs for hoisting the cage.

"Being tall, the headframes and sheave wheels were the most visually obvious part of the mine buildings as they could be seen from a distance and above walls surrounding mines, even being mentioned in contemporary literature. Headframes were part of the skyline, as common as church spires, part of life, and highlighted the presence of pits and all that entailed for over a hundred years. There were more than 200 mines in Wales alone. Some sites is now recognised as a Scheduled Ancient Monumenst, with several listed buildings, shows the modern understanding of the importance of preserving our industrial heritage. The headframes and sheave wheels of Welsh mines help to show the sheer height and scale of these strange constructions that once were such a part of many town and village lives, and remind us of an industry which occupied a major role in the history of Britain."