JOIN PDMHS & T’OWD MAN FOR THE MINER’S HOLIDAY! 24TH MAY 2026 – MAGPIE MINE, NEAR SHELDON 11AM-4PM

Step into history with the Peak District Mines Historical Society and T’Owd Man as they revive the annual miner’s holiday at the legendary Magpie Mine near Sheldon.

Explore the mine's site with expert guides and dare to peer down the shafts if you’re brave enough. Browse stalls from PDMHS, Wirksworth Mines Research Group, and Goodluck Mines Preservation Society. Chat with specialists, discover mining artefacts, and uncover the fascinating stories behind our local heritage.

Learn your rights as a miner and the quirky rules of mining law — but keep an eye out for a cunning overseer who might just recruit you for a shift underground!

Get hands-on: Craft a traditional healing salve with a medical herbalist. Taste herbal teas brewed just like the miners’ wives would have made. Discover wildflowers, including rare ‘lead loving’ plants and their surprising uses for food and medicine.

Join the fun: Take part in traditional games. Witness the formal blessing of the decorated stow by a local clergyman and mine enthusiast. Relax with refreshments at the Agent’s House and Smithy. Enjoy live music and dance from T’Owd Man Border Morris.

Once a lavish May Day break for hard-working miners — filled with feasting, music, tales, and endless ale, the Miner’s Holiday was a day to celebrate and swap stories of strange underground happenings, especially of T’Owd Man himself.

Who is T’Owd Man? He’s the ancient spirit of the mines and old miners, guardian of fortune and mischief-maker to those who forget their manners. Treat him well, and he might just bring you luck… or maybe a little surprise.

Everyone welcome — come and celebrate our mining heritage.