Backhouse : Lead Mining in Yorkshire. 319 



actually mined it themselves or whether they beg-ged, borrowed, 

 or stole it from the subjugated tribes. 



From those times, however, throug-h what we may call the 

 early documentary period, lead was mined more or less 

 systematically in Yorkshire, often in larg-e quantities, and 

 there can be no doubt also to larg'e profit. 



But we ha\ e to deal especially with the lead mining- of the 

 nineteenth century, and to consider briefly to what extent the 

 industry has been carried on in recent times. 



The actual area in which lead has been mined in Yorkshire 

 may be taken as about one-sixth of the entire county, and is 

 situated in the North and West Ridings, in the mountainous 

 regions towards the head waters of rivers — the Tees (where it 

 divides Yorks. from Durham and Westmorland), the Yorks. 

 Lune, the Swale and its great tributary Arkle Beck, the Ure, 

 the Nidd, the Wharfe, the Aire, and the Ribble. Taking these 

 districts seriatim^ commencing in the north, we find that the 

 Tees area contained some thirteen or fourteen distinct mines, 

 none worked since about 1870, Lunedale had about half a 

 dozen, one of which, that known as Lunehead, was extensive, 

 and has been reopened recently. For the next two areas — 

 those of Arkengarthdale and Swaledale — it is impossible at the 

 moment to register any definite number, but they may be said 

 to have run into the hundreds at one time or another. 



Two especially, Hurst Mine in x'\rkengarthdale, and that at 

 Old Gang, in Swaledale, were notorious for centuries, and the 

 output from them was enormous. 



From the latter mine it is said that at one time, about the 

 middle of the nineteenth century, some 3000 tons per annum 

 were produced. At Hurst the Romans are said to have had a 

 penal settlement, and lead was probably mined there, not only by 

 them, but who shall say how long before ? Now Hurst is grim 

 and desolate like the ' Deserted Village,' though the hills still 

 cover thousands of tons of rich ore, which twentieth-century 

 enterprise may yet acquire. Old Gang, in Swaledale, is still 

 kept going, but is gradually becoming worked out, though 

 there can be little doubt that many other veins in its proximity 

 may be worked to profit at to-day's selling price if facilities 

 for carriage were provided. 



In Wensleydale, over the ridge southward, we find at least 

 forty distinct mines, and some of these were very remunerative, 

 notably that of Keld Heads, near Wensley. Flooding of the 



]()o6 September i. 



