Reasons for Designation
Approximately 10,000 lead industry sites are estimated to survive in England,
spanning nearly three millennia of mining history from the later Bronze Age
(c.1000 BC) until the present day, though before the Roman period it is likely
to have been on a small scale. Two hundred and fifty one lead industry sites,
representing approximately 2.5% of the estimated national archaeological
resource for the industry, have been identified as being of national
importance. This selection of nationally important monuments, compiled and
assessed through a comprehensive survey of the lead industry, is designed to
represent the industry's chronological depth, technological breadth and
regional diversity.
Details
The monument is situated 500m north of Kiplings Cottage, and includes the
remains of an 18th century lead level. Thornhill's (also known as Hammond or
Jackass) level is thought to date to the mid-18th century. In around 1790 a
property dispute noted the driving of Thornhill's level by the previous lessee
Mr Thornhill. This places the date of construction of the level to around
1740.
Thornhill's level, which is driven into a coarse gritstone crag situated on
the east bank of the Sandy Beck, takes the form of a narrow rock-cut slit. The
entrance measures 1.5m high by 0.6m wide and has a coffin-shaped outline
internally. The survival of tool marks at the entrance and characteristic
herring-bone tool marks on the walls of the interior indicate that the level
was entirely hand dug and thus represents a late use of relatively primitive
mining technology at a time when the use of gunpowder in mining was
commonplace. The level continues to emanate water and is accessible.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
30932
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals
Legal
This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
End of official list entry
