“The Romans sent soldiers to guard it; medieval monks used it to roof their great abbeys; hearts were broken and fortunes won mining it – the soft yet heavy, grey metal called lead”.
The Yorkshire Dales is crossed by numerous veins of lead ore (galena) and the remains of the industry that grew up around its extraction are now part of what makes the Yorkshire Dales National Park so special.
Lead mining is believed to have started here in the Dales nearly 2000 years ago, after the Romans arrived in the north of England around 71AD. The industry has left an indelible mark on the local landscapes, in places altering the very topography of the earth and influencing the evolution and character of its hamlets and villages.
From the mountainous spoil heaps on Grassington Out Moor in Wharfedale to the crowded cottage lanes of Langthwaite or Gunnerside in Swaledale, built to house lead mining families during the 18th and 19th centuries, the visitor is surrounded by the forceful physical presence of the lead mining industry.
Explore some of these fascinating sites and find out more about the industry and the people who worked in it.