Report - Mines 56 - Old Providence Lead Mine (Yorkshire, 2025)

[urbanchemist]

A mine on the moors above Kettlewell in Wharfedale.

Lead was probably extracted in these parts since medieval times although the heyday was in the mid to late 1800’s, second only to farming in terms of employment.

It was called Providence and then Old Providence to distinguish it from the New Providence mine on the other side of the valley.
There are other mines called Providence in the UK- optimistic names like prosperous and providence seem to have been popular.

Unusually, none of the levels (adits/tunnels) are marked on old OS maps, although a mine plan does show most of them, red dots on the picture below.
In any case the entrances are usually easy to spot from the waste tips although older shaft workings on slopes can look similar.

The only underground pictures I could find were for a pot hole (Providence Pot), which was named after the mine and has an entrance in this valley.


Starting down near the village I first checked out the remains a smelt mill (yellow dot).
You can read the sign, but the only things to see are a dump of smelting waste and a section of wall near where the water wheel once lived.

Low Level (ca. 1857). Heading up the valley on a day of variable weather we come to the first hole which goes in some distance to a junction.

The only branch that goes anywhere leads under a worked out area - picture looking up - to another junction.

Straight on was looking a bit unstable so I went left following an electrical cable south to someone’s old dig, which fizzles out up a ramp.

Hooksbank Level (ca 1855). Also called Brackmint Level, this is almost opposite Low Level on the other side of the valley.
Technically part of the mines on the next hill, it died almost immediately.

Further up is the entrance to Providence Pot, which is not locked.
Wiggle down here and you apparently emerge about a kilometre away in the next valley, although from what I’ve read it’s quite a mission.

continued

 

[urbanchemist]

At the top of the valley are several excavations whose portals are now invisible - this one above the limestone outcrop at the head of the valley may have been an entrance to Smith’s vein.









Two more dead ones - a picture looking down the waste heap of the Plate (or Top) Level (run-in) towards what may have been another entrance to Smith’s vein.

Middle Level (1860). The excavation with the biggest waste heap and the source of most the ore in the 1860s.
The entrance was blocked, presumably to keep out sheep - I left it as I found it, although I had to excavate a bit to slither in.

This is as far as I got, a non-authentic candle next to pile of rocks at the bottom of a worked out space.

It’s possible to climb up the chute on the left or crawl round to the right but I was running out of time.
Instead here’s a fuzzy picture of the stope, an example of what happens when you try to take photos holding the camera over your head with one hand in the rain.

Back outside, there’s a flattish area ore processing area with the remains of a wheelpit for an ore crusher.

The crusher in 1950, missing most of its wheel (source of photo unknown).

The crusher was rescued in the 1970s and has now been restored/recreated and is on display at the Dales Countryside Museum in Hawes.
Like all local museums this is well worth a visit, and is why I went to look at this mine in the first place.

Some rocks from the waste tips, mostly calcite containing small chunks of galena.

A view back down the valley with the middle level on the left.

 

[HughieD]

More excellent work mate. Enjoyed that report.

 

[NastyNeasden]

Another great report and one which triggered some memories. This mine was the one that first hooked me on old mine in the late 1960's - and I'm still exploring now. I spent many a happy day fossicking on those waste heaps and looking into the adits whilst my parents stayed in the campsite at the bottom of the hill. The Providence Pot - Dow Cave through trip is actually well worth doing, but it is not for the feint hearted or inexperienced. I did that trip in the mid eighties having tested both ends first. The through trip is a mile or so long and includes the Dowbergill Rift Passage. I think it took us about 4 hours and I was very fit then. If I recall correctly, there were traces of there 'old man' inside the cave, so the miners certainly were the first to explore the cave system - much easier for them than digging trials or hushing. There are some other nearby mines on the same vein set, between Arncliffe and Starbotton that are well worth a look. In the early 1970s I helped on digging out one level, on the Wharfedale side of the ridge, over a few weekends but left for college in Ambleside before any breakthrough was made. I've always wondered if it happened, so I must go back and see...

 

[GRONK]

Rather tasty that @urbanchemist

 

[urbanchemist]

There are some other nearby mines on the same vein set, between Arncliffe and Starbotton that are well worth a look. In the early 1970s I helped on digging out one level, on the Wharfedale side of the ridge, over a few weekends but left for college in Ambleside before any breakthrough was made. I've always wondered if it happened, so I must go back and see...

Maybe the Charlton Level of New Providence? Was looking over the valley at that area when doing the Starbotton/Cam Pasture mines, but haven't been to see if it goes anywhere yet.

 

[NastyNeasden]

Maybe the Charlton Level of New Providence? Was looking over the valley at that area when doing the Starbotton/Cam Pasture mines, but haven't been to see if it goes anywhere yet.

It could be that, but in those days we had no internet to check these things! It was the level that opened onto to the largest spoil heap. That was relatively large by wharfedale standards hence the reason for the dig. There was speculation that it may have gone right through to the Arncliffe side but who knows. I’ll try and get over there sometime soon and I’ll post some photos.

 

[urbanchemist]

According to the National Trust & Historic England the portal is still there, but it's collapsed inside.

But you never know, plan below.

 

[NastyNeasden]

It could be that, but in those days we had no internet to check these things! It was the level that opened onto to the largest spoil heap. That was relatively large by wharfedale standards hence the reason for the dig. There was speculation that it may have gone right through to the Arncliffe side but who knows. I’ll try and get over there sometime soon and I’ll post some photos.

Just checked the Historic England records and it looks like Charlton’s Vein is at the northern side of the set, near the dressing floors. If my memory was correct then the level could have been on one of the other veins. It was 40+ years ago so there maybe some faulty recollections in there. I used to stay quite often at Moor End Farm, so spent many hours exploring the whole site. Good to see it’s now an SSSI or similar as it’s quite unique.