MONMOUTH CO.
BOUNDARY ROAD NORTH ENFIELD, GOLDEN PLAINS SHIRE
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Statement of Significance
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MONMOUTH CO. - History
Contextual History:History of Place:
Heritage Inventory History of Site:
The Ballarat Star mentions the opening of a lead called the Monmouth in 1858.
MONMOUTH CO.
1898:recorded production of 150 ozs from 200 tons of ore (or 4.666 kg).
Updated 27/05/2021
Very few records specific to the site itself are available, however; an article in the Ballarat Star dated 22 March 1858 indicates that by this time, a ‘Monmouth Lead’ had been established two and a half miles south of South Durham (Figure 1). It is probable that this article refers to a new mining lead within the Monmouth Gully, the landform in which the site is located. As such, it is highly likely that all features identified during the survey are directly associated with the Monmouth Lead.
Despite the dearth of information available on the place, an extensive amount of information is available on the wider landscape. 1856 gold was discovered in hills surrounding the Enfield district and a small village was subsequently established. The villages within the Enfield Parish were known by their gold mining names, including Little Hard Hills approximately 5km southwest of the current study area (now known as Enfield State Park). By 1859 Little Hard Hills had acquired a school however, by 1864 a Wesleyan church and school had been established at the location that would become the town of Enfield. A Parish map dated 1866 indicates that at this time, the area
immediately surrounding the study area was characterised by ‘Stringy Bark Forest’ and did not form part of a village or settlement (Figure 2). An updated Parish map of the same area dated 1874 shows more detail and significantly more settlements, including within the area previously described as stringy bark forest (Figure 3). As mining activities progressed in the goldfields and the Victorian gold rush reached its peak, extensive alluvial diggings were established in the wider Ballarat area, including in the Enfield locality. Little Hard Hills and the diggings immediately surrounding the study area fell within No. 5 Division of the Ballarat Mining District (Figure 4) and incorporated a vast network of leads, mine shafts and associated infrastructure. It can therefore be assumed that the archaeological features within the extent of H7622-0222 (Monmouth Co.), and those identified during the survey are directly associated with the No. 5 Division of the Ballarat Mining District.
Extensive mining activities since circa 1850 has caused significant modification to the land in the wider Goldfields region. One result of this land modification has materialised as what is known as ‘sludge’, or ‘faff’, comprised of the sands, silt and gravel extracted from the mines during sub-surface mining operations. This sludge has covered an extensive portion of the landscape, particularly around the floodplains of rivers and creeks. The sludge layer has been documented to be up to several metres deep, in some areas covering vineyards and filling reservoirs. During the survey a clearly defined layer of ‘sludge’ was observed. This sludge is particularly obvious in areas where
sub-surface stratigraphy is visible, such as exposed mining shafts. This layer of sludge can clearly be seen in Red arrows indicating sludge layer overlying natural ground surface.
MONMOUTH CO. - Interpretation of Site
Updated 27/05/2021 Historical records indicate that mining activities had commenced within the Monmouth Gully by at least 1858 and as such, it can be assumed that the study area was being exploited by this time. Archaeological features and deposits including horse puddlers, mining shafts, prospecting holes, large piles of quartz, raised mullock platforms, artificial ditches and sludge deposits signify that the entire gully landform area was once a thriving gold mining lead where sub-surface material was not only mined, but also processed on site by way of sluicing and puddling. Sources indicate that horse puddling machines were pioneered in the Victorian Goldfields and as such, the presence of two horse puddlers indicates that this pioneering technology was used at this site (Goldfields Guide 2018). Characteristics of the recorded mining shafts and prospecting trenches differ. Some prospecting trenches are well defined rectangular shapes, whilst others are larger circular or ovoid in shape. According to McGowan (2003), methodology of trench digging differed between Chinese and European miners in the Victorian Goldfields, and it is likely that the round/ovoid shaped features are associated with Chinese miners, whereas the rectangular shaped trenches can be associated with European miners. As both trench types have been observed in this area, it can be assumed that both European and Chinese miners conducted mining activities within the Monmouth Gully. It can be concluded that this site, and the wider Monmouth Gully landscape was a part of the Monmouth Lead and was heavily utilised since at least 1858 for the purpose of gold mining. Pioneering technology developed in the Victorian goldfields was used on this site by way of horse puddlers, and material was not only mined, but processed on site by both European and Chinese miners.
Heritage Inventory Description
MONMOUTH CO. - Heritage Inventory Description
A small mine with what appears to be a horse puddler south west of the shaft. The depression where the shaft was located is surrounded by a platform of mullock 15 m in diameter with one finger 15 m long and 5 m wide running north from the platform. The puddler is in poor condition, the central pillar is almost completely gone although the sides of the trench are fairly well defined. It is 10 m in diameter and 1.5 m high./nIt is unusual for a quartz reef mine to have a horse puddler near the shaft, this circular structure may have been a whim. But if it was a whim then what was the trench for? Updated 27/05/2021 Currently, a small portion of the overall site is registered on the Heritage Inventory as H7622-0222 (Monmouth Co.) (Appendix A), which comprises a horse puddler and a mining shaft and occupies the southeastern extent of the newly identified site. The field survey aimed to relocate and reassess the extent of the previously recorded Heritage Inventory site H7622-0222 (Monmouth Co.) and identify any undocumented historical heritage and areas of historical archaeological potential which may be present within the survey area. The newly identified site is located within the Monmouth Gully landform and is comprised of an extensive network of mining shafts, prospecting holes and two horse puddlers. The previously identified site H7622-0222 (Monmouth Co.) was identified and reassessed. This area features a horse puddler (hereafter referred to as HP1) and a mining shaft (hereafter referred to as MS1). HP1 is characterised by a raised circular platform surrounding a low-lying trench, with a central pillar roughly circular in shape (Photo 1, Photo 2). Upon removing a covering of organic matter from the centre rise, the location of the former post within the central pillar was identified. A small depression, likely drainage channel, is present within the northern puddler wall (Photo 3). Dimensions of the HP1 are as follows: Outer boundary of raised walls: • North-south: 10.4m • East-west: 12.2m • Northeast-southwest: 13.7m • Northwest-southeast: 13.15m Outer boundary of central pillar: • North-south: 2m • East-west: 2.25m The depression in the middle of the central pillar where the centre post once attached measures approximately 50cm. The widest section of the raised wall measures 2.9m, and the narrowest section measures 55cm. As stated on the original site card, HP1 is in poor condition. The central pillar is significantly eroded and although the trench walls are still well defined, the trench width and depth are now irregular and inconsistent due to weathering and erosion and overall, the feature is extremely overgrown (Photo 4). An unidentified concrete feature is present to the immediate southeast of HP1 (Photo 5). The associated mining shaft, MS1, is located approximately 9m to the northeast of the horse puddler and is marked by a raised mullock platform (Map 2, Photo 6). MS1 is extremely overgrown and the central depression is littered with modern rubbish. Dimensions of the opening of MS1 are as follows: • North-south: 5.5m • East-west: 6.5m Located approximately 4.5m to the west of the measured extent of HP1, and within the registered extent of H7622-0222 (Monmouth Co.) is a prospecting trench (PT [PT1], Photo 7). To the immediate northwest of this trench is a straight, well defined linear ditch (PT1-1) that extends for approximately 50m on a northwest/southeast orientation (Map 2, Photo 8). This linear trench gives way to several more artificially dug ditches to the northwest, extending in different directions. It was beyond the scope of this survey to record these features in detail. Approximately 175m to the west of the extent of H7622-0222 (Monmouth Co.) (Map 2) five archaeological features were identified within the defined survey area, namely a raised mullock platform (MP [MP1], Photo 9) and four associated prospecting trenches (PT2, PT3, PT4 and PT5) (Photo 10-Photo 13). These prospecting trenches vary in size and are roughly circular/ovoid in shape. Approximately 300-360m northwest of the extent of H7622-0222 (Monmouth Co.) (Map 2) two additional mining shafts were identified (MS2 and MS3, Map #). MS2 is characterised by a large depression and is extremely overgrown, and several large pieces of deadfall are present within the depression (Photo 14). Dimensions of the opening of MS2 are as follows: • North-south: 4.5m • East-west: 5m MS3 is marked by a large raised mullock platform and is characterised by a very deep, roughly rectangular shaft (Map 2). Several medium sized trees surround the shaft, one of which has fallen across the opening (Photo 15). The central depression is littered with deadfall and organic matter. Dimensions of the opening of MS3 are as follows: • North-south: 4.3m • East-west: 4.7m Approximately 665-715m northwest of the extent of H7622-0222 (Monmouth Co.) (Map 2) eleven archaeological features were identified, namely three mining shafts (MS4, MS5 and MS6) and eight associated prospecting trenches (PT6 - PT13). MS4 is marked by a large mullock pile. MS4 is a very deep, roughly rectangular shaft and is surrounded by several medium sized trees and sparse surface vegetation (Photo 16). The central depression is littered with modern rubbish and organic matter. Dimensions of the opening of MS4 are as follows: • North-south: 3.6m • East-west: 5.3m MS5 and MS6 are both marked by a large mullock pile and are very deep, roughly rectangular shafts surrounded by several medium sized trees and sparse surface vegetation (Photo 17, Photo 18). The central depression of both shafts is littered with organic matter. Dimensions of the opening of MS5 are as follows: • North-south: 2.1m • East-west: 2.8m Dimensions of the opening of MS6 are as follows: • North-south: 3.2m • East-west: 4m Eight prospecting trenches are also present in this location (Map 2) and are highly likely to be associated with the surrounding mining shafts. These prospecting trenches vary in size and are roughly circular/ovoid, and rectangular in shape. Examples of these trenches are shown in Photo 19 - Photo 24. A previously unrecorded horse puddler (HP2) was identified approximately 650m west/southwest of the extent of H7622-0222 (Monmouth Co.) (Map 2). This feature is characterised by a raised circular platform approximately 1.1m in height surrounding a low-lying trench, with a central pillar roughly circular in shape (Photo 25, Photo 26). Upon removing a covering of organic matter from the central pillar, the location of the former post within the central pillar was identified (Photo 27). A small circular but well defined depression, likely a drainage channel, is present within the eastern puddler wall (Photo 28). Dimensions of HP2 are as follows: Outer boundary of raised walls: • North-south: 10.5m • East-west: 10.6m • Northeast-southwest: 11.1m • Northwest-southeast: 10.3m Outer boundary of central pillar: • North-south: 2.5m • East-west: 2.5m The depression in the middle of the central pillar where the post once attached measures approximately 50cm. The dimension of raised wall is relatively consistent around the entire feature, measuring approximately 2.3m in width. HP2 is in poor condition however, the trench walls are still well defined, and although eroded, the central pillar remains circular in shape and is easily identifiable. The trench depth is relatively consistent but has been subject to extensive weathering and erosion and a large tree branch lies across HP2 on an east-west orientation. In addition to obvious mining shafts, prospecting holes and other associated features that were observed across the survey area, dozens of large mullock platforms, piles of quartz and artificially dug ditches are also present. During the survey a clearly defined layer of ‘sludge’ was observed. This sludge is particularly obvious in areas where sub-surface stratigraphy is visible, such as exposed mining shafts. This layer of sludge can clearly be seen in Photo 30. Given the heavy exploitation of the Enfield area for mining activities since 1856 it is considered that the entire gully landform is highly sensitive for archaeological features that can be directly associated with gold mining activities, and it is therefore highly likely that the entirety of the Monmouth Gully comprises an extensive network of mining shafts, prospecting trenches, sluicing boxes, horse puddlers and other features directly associated with Mining and Mineral Processing activities. Numerous additional archaeological features directly associated with Mining and Mineral Processing were observed during the survey however, to record and photograph all of these features, even in minimal detail, would have been exhaustive and taken an unprecedented amount of time, likely weeks or months, as the full extent of archaeological features in the area is unknown. Nethertheless, the overwhelming amount of additional unrecorded features present in the vicinity of the survey area indicates that historic mining activities once dominated the entire Monmouth Gully, and it is therefore considered that the entire gully landform is highly sensitive for archaeological features that can be directly associated with gold mining activities. Consequently, it is predicted that the entire Monmouth Gully landform could be considered an archaeological site. As it was not possible to comprehensively record and document the entire gully landform, the extent of the site defined in this site card is intended to provide a representative sample of the surviving archaeological features associated with historic Gold Mining activities in the Enfield area.
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MONMOUTH CO.Victorian Heritage Inventory
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