Arkengarthdale
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Arkengarthdale is a dale, or valley, on the east side of the Pennines in North Yorkshire, England. Running roughly northwest–southeast, it is the valley of the Arkle Beck, and is the northernmost of the Yorkshire Dales. It is a subsidiary dale to Swaledale, which it joins at Reeth.
On its way up the dale from Reeth the unclassified road crosses many other small streams and their catchments, such as Great Punchard Gill, Roe Beck, Annaside Beck, and William Gill. It passes through several small settlements: Raw, Arkle Town, Langthwaite (where a narrow back road leads to Booze), Eskeleth and Whaw.
At Eskeleth Bridge another unclassified road forks northeast (towards Barnard Castle); this also joins a minor road running along the northern side of the dale to Whaw. Beyond Whaw is the most sparsely populated upper part of Arkengarthdale, which here runs roughly west–east. This area is one of the most northerly parts of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Eventually the dale ends and the road reaches the Tan Hill Inn, the highest in England, just outside the Park, near the Pennine watershed.
Beyond Tan Hill, the road divides again, heading westward to Brough, south to Keld and southwest to Kirkby Stephen.
The moors on both sides of Arkengarthdale are used for the annual Scott Trial, a cross-country motorcycle endurance event.
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[edit] Settlements
[edit] Civil parish
Arkengarthdale is also a civil parish in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England.
[edit] Lead Mining
The current economy of the Dale depends on hill farming, grouse shooting and tourism. Until the beginning of the last century it had been dominated by the lead-mining industry. Most of the mining structures have now disappeared leaving only the spoil heaps and the line of a 1100 metre long chimney from the CB smelting mill.
The lead is found in veins running through exstensive limestone and chert beds. One of the earliest techniques is called "hushing". It involves the sudden release of dammed water along the line of a vein to wash away the top soil allowing the vein to be worked. The Roman historian Pliny records this method being used in Britain to extract lead. Some fine examples of hushes can be found in Arkengarthdale as well as traces of dams and other water works. The other early method used was the digging of bell pits with lateral tunnels, called drifts, following the vein. The drifts would be extended until they became unsafe and another pit would be dug further along. Lines of these pits can still be seen across the moors.[1]
From the beginning of the 18th century these techniques were overtaken by deep-level tunnels into the hillsides dug with the help of gunpowder. By the end of the 19th century it was possible to enter the Moulds Level in Arkengarthdale and travel 6 miles underground to the Sir Frances Mine in Gunnerside Gill, Swaledale.[2]
The lead-mining in Arkengarthdale was dominated by the CB (Charles Bathhurst) Company which was founded in 1656 when a Dr. Bathhurst purchased from the Crown the right to mine in the area. His Company continued until 1911 when the lead-mining industry in Yorkshire collapsed due to the slump in the price of lead.[3]
Water was always a problem in the mines. In 1820 miners in Little Punchard Gill created a canal level along which ore and spoil could be floated to the surface.[4] The last lead-mining enterprise in the Dale was Stang and Cleasby Mines, formed in 1908. They dug the Nuthole Mine, connecting to the Faggergill Levels and managed to remain profitable until 1914.[5]
Other minerals were extracted from the Dale but on a smaller scale. Coal was mined in Punchard Gill until the 1940's. Chirt was taken from the Hungry Hushes and along Fremington Edge, also ceasing after 1940.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Mathew Edward Stones, of Arkengarthdale, was widely known for his skill at water and metal divining using hazel twigs.[6]
[edit] See also
[edit] Gallery
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Traditional stone barns and dry stone walls on the outskirts of Reeth in lower Arkengarthdale
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Traditional stone barn with outshut and livestock enclosure between Arkle Gill and Punchard Beck, about 2 miles (3.2 km) northwest of Langthwaite
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Sheep and lamb in lower Arkengarthdale with Fremington Edge in background
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Sheep grazing in lower Arkengarthdale with Fremington Edge in background
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Powder house used for storing gunpowder for CB lead mines. Built in 1807.
[edit] References
- ^ Hardy, John (No date, post 1982) The Hidden Side of Swaledale. The Life and Death of a Yorkshire Lead Mining Community. Frank Peters, Kendal. ISBN 0 948 511 40 0. Page 15.
- ^ Hardy. Page 17.
- ^ Raistrick, Arthur (1972) Leadmining in the Yorkshire Dales, Dalesman Publishing. Page 16.
- ^ Raistrick. Page 23.
- ^ Hardy. Page 75. Raistrick. Page 27.
- ^ Hardy. Page 75.
Coordinates: 54°27′00″N 2°02′02″W / 54.450°N 2.034°W
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