More information : The Ordnance Survey record for Greenside Lead Mine has been recast following RCHME survey in 1992. The OS record card is available in the NMR archive.
(NY 365 174) Greenside Lead Mine (NAT)
(NY 3597 1897) Old Lead Mine (NAT)
(NY 359 180) Old Lead Mine (NAT)
(NY 362 178) Old Level (Lead) (NAT)
(NY 3646 1751) Old Level (NAT)
(NY 3650 1733) Old Level (NAT)
(NY 3398 1557) Old Level (NAT)
(NY 3405 1553) Old Level (NAT)
(NY 3468 1638) Old Dam (NAT)
(NY 356 181) Reservoir (NAT) (1a)
Full descriptions, including plans, photographs and sections of the underground and surface workings of Greenside Mine. (1b-1d)
Lead was mined from a single source, the Greenside Vein almost continuously for a period of perhaps 300 years from the mid-late 17th century until closure in 1962. The very earliest workings would have been high on the hill of Green Side, where the near vertical vein outcropped, and in general as the years progressed, with advancing technology, the vein was exploited at increasingly lower levels. The majority of the 17th-18th century surface remains have been destroyed by major collapses and overwhelmed by later mining; in general it is the 19th and 20th century workings that have survived. The mining landscape is highly complex, involving the remains of the extraction, dressing and smelting processes, together with a widespread water management system for both power and washing. (1)
For the sake of clarity, the three main parts of Greenside Lead Mine are recorded separately as child records, reflecting a general chronology, though this is not geographically distinct; mining was
virtually continuous, and there are considerable chronological overlaps between these arbitrary components, which are:
The High Horse Level and earlier adits, the Upper Swart Beck dressing floor,and the water system.
The Low Horse Level with its dressing floor, smelt mill and water
system.
The Lucy Tongue Level, dressing floor, smelt mill and water
catchment.
In addition there are several isolated adits, also dealt with
independently. Details of the surface remains are dealt with fully in the RCHME archive account with accompanying surveys at scales of 1:500 to 1:10 000, which are held in the NMR archive. (2) |