Tag: Lead Mining

  • Grinton Lead Smelting Mill

    Grinton Lead Smelting Mill

    Arguably the best-preserved and most visited lead ore smelting mill in the Yorkshire Dales. Located by Cogden Beck, south of Grinton village, it probably dates from about 1820 and was saved from becoming a derelict ruin by being reused as an agricultural barn soon after smelting ceased. The two ranges remaining are the mill itself…

  • Brundholme Lead Mine

    Brundholme Lead Mine

    Glenderaterra Beck, a tributary of the River Greta, flows between the massifs of Skiddaw and Blencathra. Waking up to rain and cloud covering the high fells, I explored the mine workings alongside the beck. The ruins tell of a history of hope, hardship and disappointment. Work first began at the Brundholme Mine in 1872 but…

  • Greenside Mines, Glenridding

    Greenside Mines, Glenridding

    In the North East Lakes for the weekend and a wander up Raise. This is looking down on the scene of early lead mining operations which became known Greenside Mine. Mining began around 1690 where the galena vein was exposed at the surface. In 1822 the Greenside Mining Company was formed and more industrious excavation…

  • Newlands Valley

    Newlands Valley

    Newlands Beck meandering down the dale from its head below the appropriately named 753m high summit Dale Head. In the distance the prominent Causey Pike, a tortuous climb from this direction. The spoil heaps far left are from Goldscope Mine, one of the earliest mines in the area documented back to 1564, the year Shakespeare…