These began as Facebook postings on the Hebden village community page, but have been modified to
include further information that has been contributed by locals. Thank you all...
Well over a thousand field lime kilns have been recorded in the Yorkshire Dales. They were used
to heat limestone (calcium carbonate,
CaCO3) to a temperature of up to 900°C
to form quick lime (calcium oxide, CaO). Most of them were built in the seventeenth or early
eighteenth century, and it likely they were mainly used for making slaked lime during the
seventeenth century when many of the buildings were rebuilt in stone.
The lime had a myriad of small-scale uses. When added to water, it formed slaked lime which was
used as a mortar; spread on floors to prevent rising damp; and used on the exterior of buildings to
improve their weatherproofing. Lime was spread on pastures to improve their quality; eggs were
stored in it to stop them from going off and last through the winter months; cereal seeds were
covered in lime before planting to stave off fungal infection; and it was used to treat various
livestock ailments.
According to the earliest maps, there were just three lime kilns in the township, only one of
which is now easily identifiable as such. One was close to the beck and Tinker's Lane; one was above
Scala Falls; and the third was along the Skuff. All three are marked on the first edition of the
1853 edition of the Ordnance Survey 6" map, and two are marked on the 1846 tithe map (the tithe map
didn't cover the area where the Tinker's Lane kiln was located).
This lime kiln was located above the true right bank of Hebden Gill, just over the wall, and
about 110 metres from the bottom wall corner of Tinker's Lane. There is little to see of it now -
just a pile of gritstone boulders. It is not actually on limestone - it is likely that the
limestone was carted from the quarries further up the gill in Grassington township. There is a track
from the beck leading to behind it, which would have allowed carts or sledges to unload their
limestone load into the top of the kiln. Most lime kilns are made with limestone blocks, but this
was made of gritstone which was more readily available than limestone.
The Tinker's Lane Lime Kiln It is the pile of boulders just above the bend in the wall. Click image for larger resolution
The Knowles Land Lime Kiln Click image for larger resolution
This lime kiln is easy to spot (when not covered in bracken). It is on the edge of the valley on
Knowles Land above Scala Falls. It isn't actually on limestone, but a built-up pony track climbs up
from the waterfall to the lime kiln, so it is likely that either the waterfall was used as a quarry,
or the blocks that had fallen naturally from the limestone outcrop were used. It was probably built
high on the ridge to ensure a good draught. It, too, is constructed from gritstone blocks.
Built up track above Scala Force leading towards the lime kiln Click image for larger resolution
The only evidence for the Scuff Road lime kiln is a depression and a couple of limestone blocks,
but the limestone quarry used to service the kiln is very evident. It was probably made with
limestone blocks
The Scuff Road Lime Kiln It is the small depression to the left of the quarry with a few small boulders. Click image for larger resolution
Milestone
Milestone near Rosemary Barn. Click for larger version
This fine milestone, now relocated close to Rosemary Barn, is probably a survivor of the
pre-turnpike route to Grassington. It may have been erected some time after 1697 when it became the
responsibility of the township's Surveyor of Highways to provide signposts at cross-highways and on
the moors.
Chris Foster is to be congratulated on the very fine photograph which manages to pick out the
detail.
Roadside Ditch Stones
Between the entrances to Craig Mar and Thors Ghyll, there is a broad ditch running down the south
side of the main road. It is now unmaintained, and some of it is barely discernible. The bottom has
silted up and is filled with the debris of many decades; the banks have lost their definition; and
much of it is obscured by trees and other vegetation. Near the top and bottom of this section of
ditch, are three large stone blocks resembling gatepost pillars - typically about 1.2 metres long, 0.4
metres wide, and 0.2 metres deep.
A ditch stone near the top of Low Bank Side. Road top right. Click for larger version
Between these three obvious stones, a bit of prodding found similar stones buried in the ditch.
In all, six have been identified.
Locations of identified ditch stones on Hebden Bank. Click for larger version
These stones were almost certainly placed in the ditch some 250 years ago, when the turnpike was
built in the 1760s. At that time the road surface would have been vulnerable to damage from both the
rain and from the water draining off the fields. It was necessary to ensure that the water ran off
the road easily, and to carry it away in ditches dug for the purpose. However, Hebden Bank is a
steep section of road, and the energy of any significant flow would soon have damaged the ditch. The
stones were put across the ditch to slow down the flow, and dissipate some of the energy.
Stones across the road ditch above the track to Thors Ghyll. Click for larger version
The photograph above taken in the 1900s shows that there were originally a large number of these
stones. At least six can be seen in a 60 metre-long section, only two of which have been found, so
there were originally probably a dozen or so between Craig Mar and Thors Ghyll. Evidence of the
ditch below Thors Ghyll would have been destroyed in 1827 when the turnpike bridge was replaced by
the present bridge and the road level raised. They must have represented a considerable investment
when the costs involved in their cutting, carting, and installation are all taken into
consideration.
The Rocking Stone
The Rocking Stone in Care Scar Quarry Click image for larger resolution
The Rocking Stone may be found at the northern end of
Care Scar Quarry at the edge of the moor. It has been one
of Hebden's tourist attractions since Victorian times. It featured on the
1853 6" Ordnance Survey map, and was the subject of a number of
picture postcards. B.J. Harker mentions it in his 1890 guide book of the Grassington area,
"The Buxton of the North", in which he
claims that it weighs seventy tons. In his day, it could be made to rock, albeit with difficulty,
when standing over a pivot point, and David Joy remembers it rocking as a small boy, but suspects
that it stopped doing so after the harsh winter of 1948.
The Paraffin House
The Paraffin House. Click for larger version
The Paraffin House is a familiar sight, and not usually given a second thought. But it is not
without interest, being the sole survivor of the Main Street from before its redevelopment in the
1860s. It is marked on the 1846 Tithe Map as a 'pig cote', and so is
well over 170 years old. At the time it belonged to Daniel Bowdin, who also owned that half of the
Bridge House complex which adjoins the junction. Daniel was a farmer and grocer, and the grocery
business was built up over the next 60 years by his son Ralph into
a large general store and corn merchants selling stuff as diverse as lobsters and black powder. When
it and Bridge House were sold to Jeremiah Stockdale in 1906, it was described as a petroleum store.
In the 1960s it was used by the Bonds of the Post Office to store paraffin, and later it was used by
Hargreaves to store fuel for their coaches. It still contains an ancient fuel tank.
Bridge Markers
Hebden is fortune in having two sets of bridge markers - one associated with the main road
bridge, and the other with the Brook Street bridge. Bridge markers go back to the day when most
roads were maintained by the wapentakes - the then unit of local government. Major bridges, however,
were the responsibility of the West Riding. The markers delineated the limit of the responsibility
of the West Riding.
When the new bridge was built in 1827 to replace what Harry Speight
described as the "old tottering bridge" of the turnpike, the West Riding erected bridge markers 300'
from the centre of the bridge to mark the limit of their responsibility. One is obvious, and may be
seen on the grass opposite the Clarendon, being an upright shaped stone with a cross on it. This had
to be relocated when the road was straightened in 1969. The other is on the verge above the track
down to Thors Ghyll. It is similar, but is less easy to see as it is being swallowed by a sycamore.
They are both marked on the 1846 Tithe Map.
Hebden Main Bridge bridge marker - outside The Clarendon. Click for larger version
Such markers are not uncommon in the area. Similar ones may be seen at Dibbles Bridge, Bolton
Abbey, Conistone, and Kettlewell, inter alia.
The Brook Street bridge markers are made of cast iron, and are both in plain sight. One is on the
corner of Bridge House, and the other is on the other side of the beck by the barn. Their date is
unknown, but they have been put up as a consequence of the 1803 Bridge Act, although they do not
appear on the 1846 Tithe Map. The bridge itself was built in 1757. They have recently been painted
white by the Parish Council, with the lettering picked out in black.
Brook Street bridge marker - outside Bridge House. Click for larger version
Hebden's Boundary Stones
The wall built about 1600 to separate Hebden from Grassington stopped at the top of Bolton Gill,
and the location of the boundary between there and beyond was to become a subject of contention,
especially so because of the importance of the underlying lead ore resources. One map drawn in the
1780s showed the boundary running from Blea Gill to Tag Bail Hill, with other maps showing the
boundary well to the west. In 1808, the Hebden freeholders put up boundary stones between
Blea Beck and Bolton Gill running over Sandhaw, which were soon pulled down by the Duke of
Devonshire's agents.
The dispute rumbled on, and there is a record of Joseph Constantine, who was Barmaster and the
Trust Lords' representative at the time, paying £6 15s 1d in 1813 (about £380 at today's
prices) to Joshua Whalley at the "Boundary riding".
Joshua Whalley was landlord of the New Inn, so it was probably payment for
refreshments and accommodation after the Trust Lords had beaten the bounds. In 1815, Constantine
claimed £2 expenses for visiting Leeds to consult the Domesday Book, presumably hoping to find
evidence that supported the Hebden case.
In 1829 a pragmatic solution was agreed - the boundary would follow the Duke's Low Water Course
from Bolton Gill to Blea Gill, and from there up to Henstone Band. It is obvious from looking at the
boundary on the map that Hebden lost a lot of land - nearly 67 hectares. To mark the new boundary, a
set of seven fine boundary stones were emplaced across the moor to Blea Gill. Unfortunately, a wall
has since been built on the Hebden side, and some have sunk into the bog, so they are not always
that easy to find. The fine example below, however, is the first at the head of Bolton Gill, and the
'H' and 'G' for 'Hebden' and 'Grassington' can be easily seen.
Hebden - Grassington boundary stone at head of Bolton Gill. Click for larger version
From Blea Beck the boundary was marked with posts, except near Henstone Band where three more
boundary stones were emplaced. This one marks the north-west corner of the township at Henstone
Band.
Hebden - Grassington boundary stone at Henstone Band. Click for larger version
The Church Bell
St. Peter's has a fine bell hanging in its tower. Although appearing in the original building
cost estimates, it was not actually cast until 1847 - six years after the Church was consecrated. It
was cast under the supervision of Charles and George Mears, who were the master founders of the
famous Whitechapel Foundry between 1844 and 1860. They were also responsible for casting "Big Ben"
eleven years later. Everything apart from the pull rope appears to be original. It rings at a
frequency of about 470 Hz, or approximately b♭″ in the Helmholtz pitch notation, and has a base
diameter of 20" (50.8 cm) and a height of 16" (40.64 cm).
St. Peter's church bell, Hebden. Click image for larger resolution
The Miner's Bridge
The Miner's Bridge. Click for larger version
When the Hebden Moor Mining Company began to exploit the lead veins of Bolton Gill in 1853, there
was no track up Hebden Gill, the only access to the site from Hebden being up the Raikes to the left
of Eddy's Barn at Hole Bottom onto the moorland pasture at the top, and then back down towards
Bolton Gill.
Better communications were required, and in 1855 the company improved access from Hebden to Hole
Bottom, which including cutting through the moraine at Scale Haw to ease the gradient.
However, they needed access to the other side of the beck from Hole Bottom to enable them to
drive a track up the east bank of the gill. They applied in October 1856 to the Duke of Devonshire's
agent, Stephen Eddy, to purchase a small plot of land on the west bank, and he, sensing a seller's
market, offered to sell it for an extortionate £50, which the company declined.
By July 1857, the price had fallen to £15, and it was purchased. This enabled them to build the
beautiful and iconic Miners’ Bridge, and hence drive their track up to the mine.
This photograph, probably dating from about 1890, is in David Joy’s collection.
The Powder House
The Powder House. Click for larger version
So - what do we know about the Powder House? Not a lot, really. The name tells us that it was
probably used to store explosives, and the rest of the evidence appears to confirm that purpose. Its
architecture is similar to other powder houses in the area; it's protected by a formidable lightning
rod; and it was built well away from other buildings.
Map evidence implies that it was built some time between 1850 and 1888, which was the period when
the local lead mining industry was most active, but its location makes it unlikely that it was
anything to do with the Hebden Moor Mining Company, who were based at the time in Bolton Gill. We do
know from his catalogues that Ralph Bowdin sold black powder from
his general store in Bridge House, and we also know from the Grimwith Mining Company accounts that
he supplied them with black powder in 1872. All in all, on current evidence it is likely that Ralph
Bowdin was responsible for building it in the 1860s.
Water troughs on Main Street
Water trough opposite Chestnut House. Click for larger version
The troughs on Main Street make lovely plant beds, but they also hold a significant place in the
history of the village. In the 1850s Hebden was a dirty place, and rife with cholera. People had to
walk several hundred metres for all their domestic water - probably from Nanny Spout, and Low Green
was largely a festering tip. In 1862, John Varley (1832-1903), a civil engineer then living in
Burnsall, was employed to pipe a water supply into the village. We believe that the holding tank was
behind the Old Tip, and the pipe was bought down Main Street, and plumbed into three new troughs
which supplied domestic water for most of the village. If you take a closer look at the troughs, you
will see the inscribed date, and where the water supply emerged.
The water supply was later augmented in 1910 when water was piped down from Brown Haw Well on
Edge Top Lane into the same reservoir. See here for a map of that
installation.
The wall enclosing Low Green behind the troughs was built later, in 1869, by the trustees of the
Hebden Recreation Ground Charity.
The troughs are owned by the Parish Council.
The Post Office and Clarendon
The Post Office and Clarendon. Click for larger version
This is the picture of The Clarendon and the Post Office when they were next door to each other,
in what we now know as Bridge House. It was printed on the back of the 1888 edition of Ralph
Bowdin's Almanac, but it must have been drawn between 1859 when the Post Office opened, and 1879
when The Clarendon was renamed 'The Jolly Miner'.
The same view about 2017.
Ralph Bowdin ran a large
general store from the building on the right hand side, selling everything from lobsters to black
powder, and which had been providing postal office services since before 1870. The original
Clarendon Inn is on the left. The Clarendon Inn as we know it, was originally built in Georgian
times in about 1795 at the time of the turnpike, and rebuilt on more-or-less the same footprint in
about 1888. It was originally called the New Inn, but was renamed The Oddfellows when it became the
designated meeting place for Hebden's Star of Hope Oddfellows lodge
in 1851. It became The Clarendon in about 1888 after it was rebuilt. The Clarendon Inn in the
drawing was renamed The Jolly Miners about 1878, and in 1879 one traveller described it thus:
"the lugubrious girl who waited upon us evidently had a keen eye
for business, for she charged us sixteen pence for two bottles of ginger ale and a very small loaf
of bread with an infinitesimal piece of butter. She must have had a shrewd notion that they wouldn't
lose much when they lost our custom and consequently determined to take as much out of us as
possible."
The Jolly Miners was bought by Ralph Bowdin in 1881, who closed it down and turned it into a
warehouse. The Post Office had moved moved to Green Terrace by 1894.
The School Clock
The school turret clock mechanism. Click for larger version
The School clock has graced the village with its chimes for over 140 years. It has a typical
turret clock mechanism made by John Bailey of Salford in about 1875. It hadn't been installed when
the school opened in August 1874, but we can be pretty sure about the date as the company changed
its name to W.H. Bailey in 1876.
It was considered to be a village amenity before the school was sold, and the Parish Council
paid someone to wind it up.
The school clock face and bell. Click for larger version
It was totally refurbished in 2000 by the Cumbrian Clock Company as a partly funded Millennium
project, when it was under the care of Iain and Amanda Geldard. At the same time the opportunity
was taken to install a mechanism to prevent the clock from chiming at night.
With thanks to Martyn de Montfort for the photograph of the mechanism.
William's Bell turnstile gate
William Bell's turnstile gate into Low Green in 2021 prior to its restoration
Click image for larger resolution
The footpath leading through Low Green from opposite Church Lane was used by workers to get to
the textile mill and predates the Low Green wall, which was built in 1869. It is not clear what
provision was made to negotiate the wall when it was built. It was probably either a step-through
stile or a wooden stile, but whatever it was, on April 19th 1905 the Parish Council resolved to
replace it with a turnstile gate, and commissioned the local blacksmith,
William Bell (1849-1931) and local stone
mason Stephen Pickles (1848-1913) to undertake the task.
The finished product was an example of fine craftsmanship which has stood the test of time.
William Bell was responsible for the wrought iron work, which included the hinge supports, the gate,
and the cage, and Stephen Pickles was responsible for its installation which included rebuilding the
wall, shaping the end of the wall to accommodate the cage, and providing a shaped stone base.
William Bell charged two guineas for his work, and Stephen Pickles £1 4s 9d for his.
Hebden Parish Council 1905 accounts (the date at the top is wrong) Click for a larger image
In 2021 Al Nettleton made a generous donation to the village in memory of his parents Francis and
Avril, who for many years had a second home in Chapel Lane. With Al's approval, the Parish Council
resolved to spend some of the money on restoring the gate. The iron work was repaired using
traditional blacksmithing techniques by Paul Walker of Grassington. Chris Foster gave freely many
hours of his own time repainting the ironwork with traditional linseed paint, and leading the gaps
in the hinge support, and Michael Hargraves contributed freely his muscle to reinstall the gate, and
his pointing skills to tidy up the stonework and remortar the cage supports. The work was completed
at the end of June and a plaque installed commemorating both William Bell and Al Nettleton's
parents.
William Bell's turnstile gate into Low Green in June 2022 following its restoration
Click image for larger resolutionCommemorative plaque installed next to the turnstile gate
Click image for larger resolution
Henry Bowdin in his cart outside the Post Office
Henry Bowdin in his cart outside the Post Office. Click for larger version
This fine photograph, courtesy of Liz Weatherby and Graham Atkinson, shows Henry Bowdin (driver)
and his son Ralph (the little boy) outside the Post Office in about 1908. At the time, Henry was a
carter, although he was later to become a farmer. Ralph was to later farm at Rosebank Farm, and
died in 1973. The lady standing in the Post Office doorway is likely to be Jane Annie Tattersall,
who would have been about 27, with her 3-year-old son Charles on her hip. Thomas Francis Hammond
Tattersall and Jane Annie ran the shop at this time.
Note the post box in the window of the Post Office, and the hay rakes on display outside the
shop indicating that it was summer. Working class Edwardian fashion is also on display: small-peaked
caps; high closure four-button sack coats; metal heel plates on the boots; slim trousers; and an
attached collar for Henry Bowdin, and no collar for the other gentleman.
Charabancs outside the Post Office
Charabancs outside the Post Office. Click for larger version
This photograph shows a party from the CHA Travel Lodge outside the Post
Office setting off on a charabanc excursion, and dates from the 1910s. The charabancs were from
Chapman's Royal Mail and Bus Service, a large carriage and coach company based in Grassington. In
addition to carrying the Royal Mail into the Dale and running bus services, they took advantage of
the influx of tourists resulting from the opening of the railway station in 1902, and diversified
into running excursions. At first, they used horse-drawn wagonettes, but in 1905 they purchased the
first of five large motorised charabancs. The ones in the photograph are 36 horsepower chain-driven
Commer 28-seaters, with hard rubber tyres. As you can see, it was also well ventilated. If you look
carefully, there is a guard fixed to the seats preventing the passengers at the end from falling
out. The chap standing at the front is thought to be the excursion guide.
Parish Council versus George and Albert Stubbs, 1920
The Stobbs garden outlined, with Low Green to the west from the 25" OS map
Not all is always sweetness and light in a village. In 1920, Hebden Parish Council took two
local residents, brothers George Stobbs (1883-1949) and Albert Stobbs (1874-1966), to the County
Court, to prevent them from claiming rights over Low Green, and claiming that section on the east
side of the beck.
The story is associated with the triangular garden below the south-east side of the bridge. This
is a peculiarly-shaped piece of land, but was part of a field that was chopped into two when the
turnpike road bridge was constructed in about 1760. It had been purchased by the brothers' maternal
grandfather about a hundred years ago, and had been in their family ever since. It was used as an
allotment, and they kept hens on it.
The trouble started in about early 1917 when the Parish Council expressed concern about the hens
straying onto Low Green, and a gate which had been opened up between Low Green and the garden
allowing the hens access. A little while later, as a response to a conversation between the two
parties, the Parish Council further requested a wayleave for the footpath across Low Green to the
garden. The Stobbs refused, and declared that they had a right of way over Low Green, and that they
owned the land between the garden and the bank. They then twice knocked down a fence built by the
Parish Council blocking the entrance in the garden wall.
Solicitors became involved, and the Hebden Parish Council commenced proceedings against the two
brothers. This was not well-received by many in the village, and at an Annual Parish Meeting in
October 1920 a resolution was carried by eighteen votes to one for the Parish Council to stop
proceedings, the only dissenter being Thomas Perks, the chairman of the council. But the proceedings
continued because, as Perks told the court, "He was not satisfied with that expression of public
opinion".
Despite a long list of local residents appearing for the defence, the Parish Council won their
case on all counts, and were awarded damages and costs.
Newspaper reports of the proceedings may be found here.
The Children's Playground on Low Green
Early photograph of the Children's Playground - 1930. Click for larger version
When the Parish Council was formed in 1894 and took on responsibility for the Recreation Grounds,
their activities were confined to maintenance, planting trees and shrubs, and providing seats. In
November 1929, however, they agreed to provide a children's playground. An area was allocated on the
north side of the school, its northern boundary being determined by the gate into Low Green and the
southern boundary by the school wall. W. Patrick, joiner from Grassington, was commissioned to build
a fence, a set of swings, and a see-saw, and a sandpit was also provided. Access into the enclosure
was via a wooden stile. It opened in about June 1930. A second swing was added later in the year.
The photograph above is probably the earliest one taken of the playground - you can (just) see one
set of swings, the sandpit, and the stile. The see-saw is probably in the shadow of the tree. There
is only one set of swings, so it must have been taken within a couple of months of its opening.
The playground was, at first, jealously guarded by the Parish Council. In the August of that year
the Clerk was directed to "write to the Matron of the Bradford Children’s
Holiday Homes that the mothers and children refrain from visiting the Hebden’s children’s playground
which is provided by the Parish Council for Hebden children only". The Holiday Home in
question was the original Linton Camp. The following spring they resolved "that
a notice be put up in the Children's Playground to the effect that the swings, see-saw and sandpit
are restricted to the children of Hebden not over 14 years of age". The Parish Council were
probably not entitled to restrict access in this way, as the Enclosure Award established the
recreation grounds "as a place for Exercise and Recreation for the Inhabitants
of the said Township and Neighbourhood".
Over the next twenty five years, the equipment and fence were maintained, but then in October
1955 the Parish Council deciding that the swings were in a dangerous condition, dismantled the
equipment, removed the fencing and returned the playground back to pasture. This was not a popular
move, and in the December a request was made by the local government electors at the Annual Parish
Meeting for it to be restored. The following March the Parish Council commissioned its
reconstruction at a cost of £48, and lined the sandpit with breeze blocks.
In 1967, the Parish Council upgraded the playground with a set new swings, and a splendid
all-metal slide. The latter would never pass health and safety standards today, but it has proved
popular with children for over 50 years.
Children enjoying the new slide in 1967. Click for larger version
The two toddler swings were installed in 1989 following a generous donation of £1,054 from Vera
Rusmanis (1926-1999), who lived at Maryan cottage for over 30 years. Her husband Fricis (1912-1984),
known as Francis, was a political refugee who had to flee his Baltic home state which he had
previously represented in the Olympics. They are fondly remembered for collecting their drinking
water from Nanny Spout in two large blue containers, every evening.
The Parish Council refurbished the playground in 2000. Access to the playground had previously
been only through a step-through stile, and a perambulator-friendly gate was created at the northern
corner of the wall to allow easier access. Safety tiles were laid in strategic places. The whole
project cost £1022, partially funded by grants totalling £760 from the Craven District Council and
Norh Yorkshire Small Project Fund.
Longshaw Level and the Craven Water Board
Longshaw Level (or Lanshaw Level as it is incorrectly called by Yorkshire Water) is the first
mine level reached when walking up Hebden Gill, and is situated just short of the Mossy Moor
Reservoir outlet. It was excavated by the Hebden Moor Mining Company in about 1863 to intercept
three mineral veins. These were reached in 1866 after about 350 yards, but were found to be barren
so the venture was abandoned. However, the level had intercepted a small stream, which the company
took advantage of by piping it down the valley to power the waterwheel near the Miners' Bridge.
Longshaw Level. Click for larger version
In about 1962, a new mains sewage system and a rising population meant that the water supply was
no longer adequate for the village, and the Craven Water Board decided that it would be a good idea
to augment the supply with up to 150,000 gallons a day of water captured from the adit. A river
flow-gauging station was first constructed downstream with a V-notch weir for measuring lower flow
levels alongside a 3.35m wide Crump profile weir for measuring higher flow levels. Interestingly,
the land on which this was built was part of the township quarry, and in June 1964 the Parish
Council agreed to sell 0.044 acres to the water board, only to be told a year later that it wasn't
theirs to sell! An underground reservoir was required in front of Longshaw Level to store the water.
Unfortunately, a large spoil tip of the excavated stone lay where they wanted to site it.
Hebden Gill with the spoil heap outside Longshaw Level. Click for larger version
The spoil heap was bulldozed flat, which accounts for the 'parking area' outside the level, and
the reservoir excavated. The surplus material was then dumped on the beck side of the track on the
downstream side of the Rocking Stone wall (upstream of the flow-measuring station), some 200 metres
away, which accounts for the incongruous flat area of spoil where people often picnic.
A water treatment plant was built in the Hole Bottom car park, and the new supply was switched on
in 1966, but there were soon complaints about the excessive hardness of the water. A water
softening plant was installed, but it never really solved the problem.
In the end it was deemed unwise to be pouring water from a lead mine down the throats of the
locals, (although to be fair, the water from Longshaw Level was far less contaminated than that from
Duke's Level, which was also used in times of water shortage) and a mains water supply was installed
fed from Embsay Reservoir. The Longshaw Level reservoir is now unused, except possibly in times of
acute water shortage. One anomaly that remains is that in 1966 Craven Water Board had compulsorily
purchased the area immediately around all the mine shafts and adits in Hebden Gill (for £1 each!),
presumably to protect their supplies. These little islands are still owned by Yorkshire Water, and
when a shaft above Charger Level collapsed in June 1993, taking with it a ewe, a lamb, and a collie
from High Garnshaw, they gated the adits and fenced off anything they thought might be a shaft or
adit, including a quarry area at NGR SE 02766 64898 they didn't actually own.
At the base of Scar Side there is a shallow valley, fed by a spring, which has in the past been
dammed by a stone and concrete structure to form a shallow pond, now drained.
The front of the dam below Scar Side. Click for larger version
This was built about 1971 by David Jowett, who then owned the land which he used for rearing
game. The pond's original purpose was to stock fish, but that proved to be unsuccessful, and it
became the home for wildfowl, with two shooting butts being constructed close by.
Two shooting butts at the back of the pond below Scar Side. Click for larger version