The first of a number of reposts on Swaledale mines, the original reports lost due to the forum rollback.
This one covers the mine levels (tunnels) on the right of the map below, the western part of the Old Gang network - the eastern part is in the next valley over.
The area on the left of the stream is the Lownathwaite mine which was the subject of the previous post (#5).
I won’t repeat the general introduction given before - the main footpath runs up this side of the Gunnerside valley right past some of the levels and surface remains so these are pretty well known, even if there aren’t many photos available.
Pictures are the product of several walks, some a couple of years ago - phone for above ground and camera or phone for below.
Levels are ordered from north to south.
Gorton (Old Bunton). This was driven c. 1800 to tap into a branch of the main lead vein which runs across the valley.
The entrance was on inconveniently steep ground and was soon superseded by the Bunton (Bunting) level not far away which exits onto a little plateau more suitable for ore processing.
I suspect the pictures below are not of the Gorton level at all - there’s another (blocked) entrance a bit further up the hill which is closer to the Historic England description of the portal as being only 0.5 m high.
Anyway, this was the only explorable hole I found in this area - no idea how long it is but I spent about an hour in there.
It forks some way in, and both branches eventually lead to crawls which go nowhere.
Back out.
The higher up one which is probably Gorton.
Bunton (Bunting). This is by far the longest and best known level on the east side.
It operated from ca 1802 for almost 100 years and at one time extended through the hill into the next valley.
A distant view showing a row of ore bins above the waste tip with the remains of a waterwheel-powered ore crusher on the right.
Looking down on the wheel pit of the crusher.
Side view along with a 1925 photo when the wheel was still there.
The map shows a ‘crushing mill level’ in this region but I didn’t find it.
Now into the main level - to save space I won’t show the shafts and worked-out spaces.
The passage on the right leads to a short tunnel emerging about 8 ft up in the wall - this ends in a shaft.
Carrying on there’s a sharp left then a junction.
The first time I was here I went right, passing a deep shaft immediately round the corner which may connect to the Sir George level below.
Then things got messy - climbing up a roof fall it was necessary to thread feet first through this horrible hole because of the water on the other side.
Once through the rails come back and it dries out but then you’re into false floor territory, although there are some guide ropes.
The second time I went left and the remainder of the pictures are from this branch.
Drain coming in on the left, with a space over the waste behind.
And on for a fair distance…
…until there’s a damp pile of pebbles followed by a flooded section - fairly deep but doable in waders if you stand on the rails.
The end.
Back out.
Drying off outside.
Sir George. This is just down the hill from Bunton, dug as a trial level ca 1828-1833, and reopened for a few years in the 1860s.
A view of the surface remains which are mainly just ore bins from the other side of the valley.
I didn’t get far with this one - it had been a long day and after a wiggly entrance I couldn’t be bothered going back out again to collect a dry bag for the wet crawl.
From what I could see it opens out on the other side though.
continued
This one covers the mine levels (tunnels) on the right of the map below, the western part of the Old Gang network - the eastern part is in the next valley over.
The area on the left of the stream is the Lownathwaite mine which was the subject of the previous post (#5).
I won’t repeat the general introduction given before - the main footpath runs up this side of the Gunnerside valley right past some of the levels and surface remains so these are pretty well known, even if there aren’t many photos available.
Pictures are the product of several walks, some a couple of years ago - phone for above ground and camera or phone for below.
Levels are ordered from north to south.
Gorton (Old Bunton). This was driven c. 1800 to tap into a branch of the main lead vein which runs across the valley.
The entrance was on inconveniently steep ground and was soon superseded by the Bunton (Bunting) level not far away which exits onto a little plateau more suitable for ore processing.
I suspect the pictures below are not of the Gorton level at all - there’s another (blocked) entrance a bit further up the hill which is closer to the Historic England description of the portal as being only 0.5 m high.
Anyway, this was the only explorable hole I found in this area - no idea how long it is but I spent about an hour in there.
It forks some way in, and both branches eventually lead to crawls which go nowhere.
Back out.
The higher up one which is probably Gorton.
Bunton (Bunting). This is by far the longest and best known level on the east side.
It operated from ca 1802 for almost 100 years and at one time extended through the hill into the next valley.
A distant view showing a row of ore bins above the waste tip with the remains of a waterwheel-powered ore crusher on the right.
Looking down on the wheel pit of the crusher.
Side view along with a 1925 photo when the wheel was still there.
The map shows a ‘crushing mill level’ in this region but I didn’t find it.
Now into the main level - to save space I won’t show the shafts and worked-out spaces.
The passage on the right leads to a short tunnel emerging about 8 ft up in the wall - this ends in a shaft.
Carrying on there’s a sharp left then a junction.
The first time I was here I went right, passing a deep shaft immediately round the corner which may connect to the Sir George level below.
Then things got messy - climbing up a roof fall it was necessary to thread feet first through this horrible hole because of the water on the other side.
Once through the rails come back and it dries out but then you’re into false floor territory, although there are some guide ropes.
The second time I went left and the remainder of the pictures are from this branch.
Drain coming in on the left, with a space over the waste behind.
And on for a fair distance…
…until there’s a damp pile of pebbles followed by a flooded section - fairly deep but doable in waders if you stand on the rails.
The end.
Back out.
Drying off outside.
Sir George. This is just down the hill from Bunton, dug as a trial level ca 1828-1833, and reopened for a few years in the 1860s.
A view of the surface remains which are mainly just ore bins from the other side of the valley.
I didn’t get far with this one - it had been a long day and after a wiggly entrance I couldn’t be bothered going back out again to collect a dry bag for the wet crawl.
From what I could see it opens out on the other side though.
continued
