A short set of pictures from late June / early July on an industrial heritage theme.
Killhope Mining Museum
The water wheel at the Killhope Lead Mining museum, which provides power to the ore processing plants on the site. The water is carefully channelled down to mines further down the valley.
(L) The jigger house, where crushed ore was tipped onto shaking trays to separate out the heavy lead ore. (R) Waste rocks not containing ore, called “deads”, were tipped here.
Old Time Religion. Mining was a risky business and the churches, particularly the Methodist chapels, would have been full on a Sunday.
(L) Samples of the various minerals found in Weardale. (R) In their spare time, miners would often often build elaborate “spar boxes” from the minerals they had found.
One of the few remaining sections of the 2 mile Rookhope chimney which carried flue gases from the Rookhope lead smelting works up on to the moors. From time to time, boys were sent up the chimney to scrape off lead and silver deposits that had accreted on the flue walls – truly nasty work!
Leeds-Liverpool Canal
(L) Lock and (R) canal-side houses on the Leeds-Liverpool canal between Shipley and Leeds.