| Summary : Copper mine comprising at least fIve east-west copper veins, all of which were mined at some stage during the life of the mine. It is not known when mining first started at Greenburn, however documentary sources indicate that mining was well established by 1690 and leases were avaliable for prospecting and mining during the late 18th century and early 19th century. By 1848 The Engine Shaft and Long Craig Level were in operation and a period of of intensive production and expansion followed until the early 1860s. In 1906 the mine was operated by the Greenburn and Tilberthwaite Syndicate, mining the Pave York Vein and building an inclined tramway from the Middle Level. In 1912 the Langdale Silver, Lead and Copper Company took over and mined for five years. The Greenburn and Tilberthwaite Mining Company was formed during the mid 1920s, but little mining is documented and the company was dissolved in 1940. An analytical field investigation of the surface remains was carried out by English Heritage in November 2000. Although derelict, remains of the mine are extensive and include various buildings, dressing floors, shafts, adits, tramways and a dam. The building remains include the accommodation block, office and smithy. Construction is of drystone, presumably with a pitched slate roof (which no longer survives). It was built in a single phase at some point between 1848 and 1864 on the site of an earlier building, possibly built soon after circa 1847, whose foundations survive. The accommodation block, at the western end of the range, was two-storeyed. The adjoining office and smithy, which retains evidence for a raised smithy hearth, were single-storeyed. All are now in ruinous condition, although part of the accomodation block survives to a height of three metres. |
More information : Derelict remains of Greenburn Copper Mine (also known as Great Coniston Copper Mine) situated at NY 2902 0216 (centred), to the south side of Greenburn Beck.
Five east-west copper veins traverse the site all of which were mined at some stage during the life of the mine. Mining at this site may have started as early as the late seventeenth century, but the main and most prosperous period of working was from 1845-1861. After this date the mine was worked intermittently by several different concerns until, in 1942, mining finally ceased with the demise of the Greenburn and Tilberthwaite Mining Company.
Although now derelict, the remains of the mine are extensive and include: dressing floors with associated features (wheelpits etc), a dam, shafts, adits, a self acting tramway and various mine buildings (office, smithy, drying shed, powder house, copper store). (1-3)
GREENBURN MINE (parent record)
NY 2903 0221 (centred)
Accommodation block, office and smithy
Between mid September and late November 2000, English Heritage carried out an analytical field investigation of the surface remains of Greenburn Mine; the survey was requested and partly funded by the landowners, the National Trust (Event record 1335820) (4). The best-preserved building, which comprises an accommodation block, office and smithy (NY 20 SE 9) serves as a parent record for the other components of the complex, some of which are listed above. The complex as a whole comprises workings dating from the late 17th century to circa 1913, although the mine was not abandoned until 1942. Most of the extant features date to the period between circa 1845 and 1861. Key original documents include the First, Second and Third Editions of the Ordnance Survey 6-inch scale map (respectively surveyed in 1847-8, 1889 and 1912, a schematic plan of the main processing area, which was circulated in 1868 but is thought to have been drawn up before 1861, and a prospectus circulated in 1868 which includes reports by mining engineers dated December 1865, February 1868 and March 1868 (5-9). Various additional secondary sources exist (10-14).
The dilapidated range comprising the accommodation block, office and smithy is of drystone construction, presumably with a pitched slate roof (which no longer survives). It was built in a single phase at some point between 1847 and 1864 on the site of an earlier building, possibly built soon after circa 1847, whose foundations survive. The accommodation block, at the western end of the range, was two-storeyed. The adjoining office and smithy, which retains evidence for a raised smithy hearth, were single-storeyed. All are now in ruinous condition, although part of the accomodation block survives to 3m in height.
For further information, see the report at Level 3 standard available through the NMR archive, which includes a drawn elevation of the ancillary range, reproductions of 19th-century documents, extracts from the survey at 1:500 scale, photographs and interpretative drawings. (4-14)
It is not known when mining first started at Greenburn, however documentary sources indicate that mining was well established by 1690 and in the late 18th century and early 19th century leases by the landowner were offered for prospecting and mining. The Engine Shaft and Long Craig Level were in operation by 1848, and a period of of intensive production and expansion followed until the early 1860s. In 1906 the leases to the mines were taken by the Greenburn and Tilberthwaite Syndicate, mining the Pave York Vein and building an inclined tramway from the Middle Level. In 1912 the Langdale Silver, Lead and Copper Company took over the lease and mined for 5 years. The Greenburn and Tilberthwaite Mining Company was formed during the mid 1920s, but little mining is documented and the company was dissolved in 1940. (15).
Listed. (16)
Recorded by NRIM. (17) |