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Lead mining has been an extremely important industry in the Peak District since the Romano-British period.
Lead was found on, and adjacent to, the limestone plateau. Mining was extensive in the medieval and post-medieval periods, reaching a peak in the 17th and 18th centuries. The Derbyshire orefield has traditional lead mining laws and customs, codified in 1288, which are still administered by miners’ courts held at Wirksworth and Chatsworth, known as Barmoot Courts. Lead miners traditionally have been allowed to work wherever they pleased, except under highways, churchyards and orchards, taking most of the profits for themselves. However, a proportion, known as ‘Lot and Cope', went to the owners of the mineral rights and a ‘Tithe’ was sometimes also paid to the church. The region was divided into areas of mining activity known as ‘Liberties’, largely based on traditional Royal estate and private manorial boundaries. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Early MiningFrom the Medieval period onwards, and probably at earlier dates, much small-scale mining was carried out by miner/farmers, while somewhat larger mines were probably worked by full-time miners.
At this time most mines were probably either surface opencasts into vein outcrops and/or underground workings that were rarely more than 30-50m deep and dug using simple methods and tools.
In exceptional circumstances, as at the easily worked ‘pipe’ deposits on Masson Hill in Matlock Bath, extensive underground mines existed.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Deep MiningBy the end of the medieval period most workable rich deposits were becoming exhausted above the water table, and from the 17th century onwards, deeper and much larger mines were developed. This required investment capital and thus such mines were often controlled by the landed gentry and an emerging group of wealthy industrialists. Alongside the larger ventures, miner/farmers continued to supplement their income from agriculture (or vice-versa) by mining smaller veins in shallow workings at slack times in the year.
By the 17th century, larger mines were becoming so deep that flooding of workings was often a problem and drainage levels known as soughs were driven to lower local water tables. In a few instances waterwheels, both at surface and underground, were also employed for pumping. Another approach adopted at large mines in the 18th and 19th centuries was the installation of steam-powered pumping engines. Similar engines were also used for winding ore up engine shafts at the largest and deepest mines. These were complemented by horse-powered gin engines, which had been used from the 17th century and were necessary at all mines where shafts were over about 50-75m deep; hand winding became increasingly difficult to the point of being impossible with depth. At many large- and medium-sized mines there were two types of shaft. Small-diameter climbing shafts for human access are often relatively shallow, and to achieve depth a series was sunk with short cross-cuts from the bottom of one to the top of the next. Relatively large-diameter engine shafts, sometimes used for both winding and pumping, normally went to the full depth of the mine in one drop.
One technological development, which was eventually adopted by mines of all sizes, was the use of gunpowder. This was probably first used underground in the 1660s, and its use had become common by the mid-18th century. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Ore DressingPreliminary dressing of ore was usually carried out at the mine before the resulting concentrate was removed to lead smelters, which were usually sited elsewhere. Some dressing was often done underground as this meant less haulage to surface, and this was particularly useful when surface water was scarce but was more abundant at depth. At surface, dressing floors were common, usually sited by the shaft top and usually waste hillocks of broken and crushed material were discarded nearby. Much ore dressing was traditionally carried out by hand breakage with hammers, often by women and children. Sieving of ore to separate it from other minerals was done in vats and by buddling in stone- or timber-lined troughs. Simple mechanised processes, such as hotching that replaced hand-sieving, were also employed in the 19th century. In some mines in the northern part of the orefield ore was crushed at this time with the aid of horse-drawn crushing stones.
Visit lead mining to hear more about lead mining in the Hope Valley - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The End of the IndustryLead mining in the region went into terminal decline in the second half of the 19th century, and with the exception of the rich Millclose Mine at Darley Bridge, little profitable work was done from the beginning of the 20th century onwards. From the early-20th century to the present, lead mine sites have been extensively reworked for gangue minerals, primarily fluorspar, barytes and calcite. The hillocks commonly are now fully levelled after extraction has been completed. Other workings and spoil mounds have often been ploughed-over and shafts filled-in for agricultural purposes. Now only about a quarter of surface hillocks that once existed survive in reasonable condition. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - What SurvivesThe most common surface evidence for lead mining still comprises open-cuts, shaft tops and waste hillocks often situated along extensive veins, called rakes, which run for long distances across the landscape.
Smaller veins, known locally as scrins, also have similar but less massive remains. Elsewhere shafts drop to ‘pipe’ workings that do not outcrop at surface. Other surface features include adit entrances, gin circles, small sheds called coes, dressing floors, crushing circles and wheels, stone-lined dressing troughs known as buddles, walled-out working areas known as belland yards, ponds and leats, sough entrances, engine houses and a variety of other buildings. Mining remains are found over much of the limestone plateau. While they can sometimes be safely inspected, care needs to be taken as ruined structures and shafts are often inherently dangerous; underground exploration should not be undertaken without specialist equipment and instruction.
There are still good places to see surviving lines of hillocks crossing the landscape. The most extensive area is between Peak Forest and Castleton, but other areas include Tideslow Rake, Priestcliffe Lees, Bonsall Moor and Carsington Pasture.
An exceptional 18th to 19th century survival is Magpie Mine near Sheldon, with it’s large pumping engine house and many other buildings. This can be viewed in safety as the buildings are maintained and all shafts have been grilled.
Other engine houses include that at Mandale Mine in Lathkill Dale and at Old Millclose Mine near Darley Bridge. Many interesting and varied mine remains survive at Ecton Hill between Warslow and Wetton, where there were exceptionally rich copper and lead mines of 17th to 19th century date, and where copper is known to have been worked in the Bronze Age.
Underground lead mines can be seen in safety in the showmines at Castleton and at the Heights of Abraham on Masson Hill above Matlock Bath. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - What you can do
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