Mining for Stories

Post by Naomi Foster, Geology Projects Officer

Describing things and telling stories are a big part of what makes us human. It’s how we understand the world and share it with others. I tell stories all the time – what I did yesterday, childhood memories, what the North Pennines was like 300 million years ago… Our brains respond to hearing a story in a similar way to they would to actually being there. So when we can’t actually be there, in person, together, it’s more important than ever to tell stories.

The evidence of past mining can be found all over the North Pennines. It’s almost impossible to go for a walk without passing the odd spoil heap, blocked tunnel entrance or ruined workshop. But mostly what you see are just hints here and there and you have to dig deeper (shameless pun fully intended) to be able to tell the story of what life was like for the miners.

Blind Life in Durham helped us to get some of our stories out to their members while we were all staying at home. We’ve produced a short audio piece together to tell the story of how the minerals in the North Pennines formed, a day in the life of a 19^th Century lead miner, and what impact mining has had on today’s landscape. Listen to it here on Soundcloud.