The Burning Well Near the Featherstone Station in the Vicinity of Pontefract

Wall Art and Photo Gifts from Liszt Collection

The Burning Well Near the Featherstone Station in the Vicinity of Pontefract

THE BURNING WELL NEAR THE FEATHERSTONE STATION IN THE VICINITY OF PONTEFRACT. In boring for coal, the sinkers penetrated a bed of shale at a depth of about 120 feet, upon which the water previously rising through the borehole was suddenly ejected like a fountain to the height, it is said, of 30 feet above the surface of the earth, impelled by the violent efflux of gas which the perforation had liberated from its cavernous laboratory; and, on the application of a lighted match (after the subsidence of the jet) near the surface of the water, which covered the orifice, the gas escaping through it instantly took fire, blazing up occasionally to the height of at least three yards, and dancing and flickering in red flames over the well, which heaved and bubbled like a witchs cauldron beneath

Liszt Collection of nineteenth-century engravings and images to browse and enjoy

Media ID 12976340

© Quint Lox Limited

1861 Engraving Beneath Blaze Burning Cauldron Coal Covered Dancing Depth Escaping Feet Fire Flames Fountain Height Laboratory Lighted Match Previously Rising Spout Spray Spurt Station Surface Vicinity Violent Water Yards Application Blazing Borehole Boring Ejected Featherstone Flickering Instantly Liberated Occasionally Orifice Perforation Pontefract Shale Subsidence Suddenly Witchs

EDITORS COMMENTS
This 1861 engraving, titled "The Burning Well Near the Featherstone Station in the Vicinity of Pontefract" takes us back to a fascinating moment in history. The image depicts an extraordinary event that occurred during coal mining operations. As the sinkers bored into the ground, they unexpectedly struck a layer of shale at a depth of approximately 120 feet. This sudden encounter unleashed a powerful surge of water, shooting up like a majestic fountain reaching heights rumored to be around 30 feet above the earth's surface. What makes this scene even more mesmerizing is what happened next. The forceful release of gas from deep within the underground chambers mixed with this gushing water spectacle. Once the jet subsided, daring individuals dared to approach and ignite it with a lighted match near its watery source. In an instant, flames erupted from this burning well, creating an awe-inspiring display that occasionally reached three yards high. The fiery dance flickered in vibrant red hues over the bubbling cauldron-like well below. This vintage print not only captures this historical incident but also showcases Victorian-era illustrative techniques and artistic craftsmanship. Its retro-styled appeal transports us back in time to witness one of nature's astonishing spectacles intertwined with man's relentless pursuit for resources beneath our feet.

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