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The gritstone uplands above Grassington and Hebden
were far less productive agriculturally, but what was
lacking in farming, they made up for this with the discovery
of lead ore.
There was lead working at nearby Greenhow from Roman
times and 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.
Other 18th and 19th century businessmen invested in
cotton mills in the villages of Lower Wharfedale employing
at times even more people than worked in the lead mines.
Villages close to industrial towns like Skipton became
even more industrialised themselves.
Embsay for instance had several cotton mills one of
which became a large tannery in the early 20th century.
The high rainfall on the hills has been harnessed by
industrial towns even further south such as Bradford
who had reservoirs built on Barden Moor in the late
19th century.
By the time the railway arrived at Threshfield in 1909
the lead industry had finished and nearly all the cotton
mills were in terminal decline. Instead, the railway
brought the economic benefit of both commuters and tourists.
Grassington and the whole of Lower Wharfedale became
a much loved holiday destination with special facilities
being provided in every village.
The 20th century also saw new homes built for the wealthy
eager to live in such a picturesque setting, Parcevall
Hall and its gardens are an outstanding example. With
more and more people wanting to live in the area, house
prices are now far beyond the means of the local population
and there is constant development pressure on land and
farm buildings in villages.
When visiting an orefield there are plenty of viewing
points all carefully mapped out to make an interesting
day out.
Here at Grassington, besides the sites already mentioned
you will be able to view such things as Beever Reservoir,
Cupola Smelt Mill and High Winding Dam and the Chimney.
For a number of years the Yorkshire Dales National
Park Authority have been carrying out recording and
consolidation works to the structure supported by grants
from English Heritage,
The Royal Commission on the historical monuments of
England, together with English Heritage and the county
and national park authorities, have since 1989 undertaken
a major survey of archaeological sites throughout the
dales. English Heritage is also currently carrying out
a national survey of the remains of the lead mining
industry which will lead to proposals for scheduling
and listing an appropriate sample of nationally important
remains. This is one of a number of surveys of the physical
remains of the late 18th, 19th and 20th century industrial
processes undertaken as part of the monuments protection
programme which aims to evaluate all known archaeological
remains in England.
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