Description and History of Site:-

Mining in the area can be traced back to at least 1710, with the Blakethwaite sett included in the Surrender Grant of the late 1790s. The Blakethwaite Level, begun in 1812, became the main adit of the 19th-century mines. Under Robert Clark (from c.1818), production averaged 383 tons of lead annually, prompting investment in the dressing floor and smelt mill.

The mill was built around 1820 to replace Lownathwaite Mill, beginning operations in 1821 and working—though increasingly intermittently—until 1878, when smelting moved to Surrender Mill. It was still marked on OS maps of 1854 and 1891, though noted as disused by 1910.

The mill itself measures about 11m by 18.5m, with its east wall rising to 7.5m. Though much of the interior is now buried under rubble, it originally housed a bellows room with a 5.5m waterwheel, a furnace room with hearths, a calcining furnace, and a store or office. Cast-iron pillars from the hearth arches remain in situ.

A flue system, c.1.1m high by 1.3m wide, branches north of the mill towards a condenser house and extends some 200m further to a chimney on the limestone crag above, climbing around 45m vertically. Several other structures are visible nearby, including the remains of a smithy, office, joiners’ shop, and stores. A large peat store lies east of the beck, connected to the mill by a stone footbridge; it measures 42m by 6.6m and features solid south and east walls with an arcaded west side.

To the north-east, a well-preserved limekiln built of coursed sandstone stands against a limestone outcrop, complete with a draw hole. This kiln, constructed to supply mortar, is the most intact structure of the complex.

The dressing floors lie 300m NNE of the mill, near the Blakethwaite Level entrance. Built on an artificial terrace, they include two walled areas with revetments, ore-dressing waste, and evidence of a water-powered crushing mill operating by 1861. The lower area is partly paved but now partly flooded, with remains of a bridge linking to a trackway leading to the mill. Nearby, the ruins of a three-roomed smithy and office building (20m by 6m, up to 4m high) survive, partly set into the hillside.

Further Reading and References:-

Raistrick A, The Lead Industry of Wensleydale and Swaledale, Vol 2 The Smelting Mills, 1975, p93
Gill, M C, 'British Mining No.45' in Yorkshire Smelting Mills. Part 1: The Northern Dales, (1992), 111-150
Dennison, E, Gunnerside Gill Phase II: Archaeological Survey, (1995), 23-29Gill, M C, Gunnerside Gill: Historical Survey, (1995), 42-45Raistrick, A, The Lead Industry of Swaledale and Wensleydale: The Mines, (1975), 57Gill, M C, 'British Mining No.45' in Yorkshire Smelting Mills. Part 1: The Northern Dales, (1992), 111-150

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Key Words :- lead smelt mill

Address :- Melbecks, Reeth, North Yorkshire
Grid Ref :- NY93690178
Co-ordinates :- Lat 54.411432 , Long -2.098728
Local Authority :- Richmondshire District Council
Pre 1974 County :- Yorkshire - North Riding
Site Status :- Scheduled Ancient Monument SAM
Historic England List No - 1015857,
Site Condition :- Site derelict - some buildings remaining
Site Dates :- c1820 - 1878
Contributor :- John Suter - 18 March 2016

Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © John Suter