Lead Mines

Our walk today starting from Hebden took us up through the Duke of Devonshire’s lead mines Yarnbury above Grassington .

Grassington Moor has a long history of lead mining with records dating back to the 15th Century at a time when the monks of Fountains Abbey worked a smelt mill.

The medieval monastic estates secured their share, but the industry really took off in the 18th and 19th centuries when large numbers of people were employed in the mines, smelt mills and dressing floors at Yarnbury and on Grassington Moor.

The mineral rights here were held by the Duke of Devonshire, and he provided the capital investment that allowed the mines to flourish. He built a large smelt mill and provided vital drainage systems for the deep mines.