Elsecar Footrill

Elsecar Footrill is a pedestrian mine entrance, likely built around 1795 for the Fitzwilliam estate. The structure features a sunken retaining wall with damaged wing walls, all made of dressed sandstone. The quoined doorway has a rebated surround and a deep lintel, fitted with a square-latticed iron door that reveals the beginning of an ashlar-lined vaulted tunnel leading to the mine workings of the Barnsley coal seam.

Although there is an iron plaque above the entrance stating, "THE FOOTRILL OPENED IN 1723. ENTRANCE TO THE MINEWORKINGS OF LAW WOOD COLLIERY, ALSO TO ELSECAR OLD COLLIERY," the accuracy of this date is uncertain. The footrill is regarded as a rare example of an early mine entrance and is believed to connect with 18th-century underground workings, with 'Law Wood' colliery more commonly referred to as Low Wood or Lowwood colliery. It is also thought to link to the workings of Elsecar New Colliery, which opened in 1795. Historical records indicate that stonemasons were paid for work on the footrill entrance in 1820. This mine entrance is believed to have been used by the Earls Fitzwilliam to take aristocrats and royal guests on tours of the Elsecar mines to view the underground workings.