Monument record MDR2408 - Pin Dale lead side veins, Pindale Farm, Castleton
Type and Period (4)
- LEAD WORKINGS (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- RAKE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- MINE SHAFT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- DRESSING FLOOR (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
Protected Status/Designation
Full Description
Pindale Side Vein runs from SK 15658222 - SK 16058245. It represents the most dramatic exposure of veins as scrin in the county; very narrow, entirely hand-picked workings that are open to daylight. The veins occur on the edge of the reef limestone, at the boundary with the shale. They are hand-picked, 13 to 15m (40 to 50ft) deep, and the best examples in the county. (5)
The monument lies on and around a near-vertical valley side, 1km south east of Castleton, and includes all the earthworks and buried remains of the Pin Dale lead side veins. The extraction of lead-bearing strata from extremely narrow veins, close to the surface and surrounded by limestone, left a number of narrow vertical slits in the limestone ore body, which exist alongside more typical shaft mounds. The side veins represent a form of opencut lead mining, which demonstrates the response of miners to an unusual form of mineralisation. The side veins are a series of well preserved, narrow slits (some only 0.4m wide) cut by hand from the surface of limestone crags into lead-bearing veins. They appear now as open slits or channels of varying length. Some are between 2m and 3m long, whilst others are cut through extensive stretches of limestone and have the appearance of narrow quarries. In some cases parallel cuts have been worked around a core of limestone, leaving large isolated blocks as a particularly distinctive feature. In addition to the side veins, a number of vertical shafts are included in the scheduling. These appear as small shaft mounds or in some cases as open shafts. A number of spoil heaps, relating to both side vein and shaft workings, are also included. Buried remains will include dressing areas, where early stages of ore processing were carried out, whilst the spoil heaps will provide further technological information on mining activities. (7)
A worked-out lead vein, in parts still an open stope, running diagonally down the west side of Pindale. This was hand worked near the surface, as indicated by the frequent pick-marks on the cut sides. The use of dynamite was common by the mid 18th century, hence this working took place at an unknown date before this time. (4, 6)
Pindale Side (along with Dirtlow Rake, Red Seats Veins and How Grove and Siggate Head Mines) is recorded as a high priority lead mining site. Surface interest at Pindale Side includes deep opencuts, mostly within large belland yards, with several grilled shafts and stopes. (8)
This whole area of lead mining remains was surveyed by Barnatt in 1992. See Source 6 for survey plans and descriptions for individual features.
Sources/Archives (10)
- <1> SDR8463 Bibliographic reference: Maive, J. 1802. The Geology and Mineralogy of Derbyshire.
- <2> SDR6958 Article in serial: Green A H. 1887. The Geology of North Derbyshire (BGS).
- <3> SDR15081 Bibliographic reference: Stevenson, I et al.. n.d.. The Geology of the country around Chapel-en-le-Frith.
- <4> SDR4754 Bibliographic reference: Ford, T & Rieuwerts, J. 1983. Lead Mining in the Peak District, 3rd edition. p 54.
- <5> SDR13556 Verbal communication: Rieuwerts, J. 1988. Pers. Comm..
- <6> SDR20408 Unpublished document: Barnatt, J (PDNPA). 1992. Aston Hall, land at Castleton, Derbyshire, archaeological survey, 1992. Nos. 18-29, 31-41 and 46, pp.4-8; map 1.
- <7> SDR18192 Scheduling record: English Heritage. 1998. Scheduling Notification. 30956. Cat. No.: 394.
- <8> SDR19821 Bibliographic reference: Barnatt, J. 2004. An Inventory of Regionally & Nationally Important Lead Mining Sites in the Peak District. Vol. 2: Corpus of Sites. No. 6, pp 12-13.
- <9> SDR18970 Photograph: Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA). Black and white photograph collection. 423.1A.
- <10> SDR18971 Photograph: Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA). Slide Collection. 3363.1-4.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred SK 1582 8232 (594m by 541m) (Centred on) |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | CASTLETON, HIGH PEAK, DERBYSHIRE |
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (1)
- EDR3680
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External Links (0)
Record last edited
Jan 11 2016 12:14PM