Photographs of Hebden's mining heritage

This is a collection of photographs of items of historical interest which may be found in the township of Hebden. I would like to thank Chris Foster in particular for devoting so much of his time and his photographic expertise to the project.

Note: This is work in progress, and there are many items around the township that we are intending to add. However, if you have anything in your house or possession that you would like to share, please let us know. Those old bottles and signs all have their own story to tell.

Click on a thumbnail to see a larger image. You can see a description of the photograph by hovering your mouse over its image, and a fuller description is displayed as a caption under the larger version of the image. Sometimes the full caption contains a link to a page that displays a Bing map showing the location of the object, and sometimes a link will take you to more information about the item or its context. When displaying a large image, you may go the previous and next images by use of the displayed controls, or using your keyboard arrow keys. Click on the large image or the ESC key to return to the gallery.

Portal of Duke's Level, draining the mines of Grassington Moor
Date: 1796. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Water management chamber at Dukes Level
Date: 1920? Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Looking into Bolton Gill Reservoir (now drained) at the head of Bolton Gill
Date: circa 1853-1854. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

The dam of Bolton Gill Reservoir (now drained) at the head of Bolton Gill
Date: circa 1853-1854. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Bolton Gill Engine Shaft. Dug about 1855, it was closed about 1872.
Date: circa 1855. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Foundations for power rods serving Bolton Gill Engine Shaft, and spoil heaps
Date: circa 1855. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Pillars to support power cable and rods from Holebottom to Bolton Gill Engine Shaft
Date: circa 1855. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Head of steps entering Bolton Gill Engine Shaft
Date: circa 1855. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

The original upper dressing floor adjacent to Top Level
Date: circa 1855. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Collapsed steps leading down to the upper dressing floor adjacent to Top Level
Date: circa 1855. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Foundations for power cable support to Bolton Gill Engine Shaft
Date: late 1860s. Photographer: Chris Foster.

Bearing mount for power cable to Bolton Gill Engine Shaft
Date: mid-1860s? Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Bearing mount for power cable to Bolton Gill Engine Shaft
Date: late 1850s. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Pit for original water wheel supplying power to Bolton Gill Engine Shaft
Date: mid-1860s? Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Bolton Haw End Tunnel just above the track leading to Mossy Moor.
Date: mid-1860s? Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Inside Bolton Haw End Tunnel, just above the track leading to Mossy Moor.
Date: mid-1860s? Photographer: John Gardner. See location

The portal for Bottle Level - the lowest level in the Bolton Gill mines complex
Date: c. 1854. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Reservoir above Bottle Level used to supply water to the dressing floor
Date: c. 1854. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

General view of the Eller Beck water where water was captured to power the Bolton Gill dressing floor
Date: c. 1854. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Pillars used to support water supply for Bolton Gill dressing floor across the beck
Date: c. 1854. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Engine House (above) and Weigh Office (foreground) at Bolton Gill dressing floor
Date: 1850s. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

General view of the Bolton Gill dressing floor looking north
Date: c. 1854. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

General view of the Bolton Gill dressing floor looking south
Date: c. 1854. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Revetement wall and two celled building (behind) on Bolton Gill dressing floor
Date: c. 1854. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Bouse teem at north end of Bolton Gill dressing floor
Date: c. 1854. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Bouse teem at north end of Bolton Gill dressing floor
Date: c. 1854.. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Water wheel pit in the Bolton Gill dressing floor
Date: c. 1854. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Two celled building at southern end of the Bolton Gill dressing floor
Date: mid-1850s? Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

General view of the Bolton Gill dressing floor looking north-east
Date: c. 1854. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Waste crushings from the Bolton Gill dressing floor on an area bought from the Duke in 1855.
Date: 1855 onwards. See location

Engine House above Bolton Gill dressing floor
Date: mid-1850s? Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Lauder probably used to drain waste water from the Bolton Gill dressing floor
Date: c. 1854. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Stone with a shackle in the Bolton Gill dressing floor
Date: 1850s. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

The portal for Charger Level - an unsuccessful trial level.
Date: c. 1863-1866. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Spoil heap from Charger Level
Date: c. 1863-1866. See location

A ventilation shaft into Charger Level which collapsed in 1993.
Date: c. 1863-1866. Photographer: John Gardner. See location

Langshaw Level - a trial level which intercepted a reliable water supply.
Date: mid 1860s? Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

An air shaft into Langshaw Level, as seen from the track by the Level.
Date: mid 1860s? Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Blew level, a drainage adit near the bottom of Tinker's Lane.
Date: c. 1690. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Coal level, blocked inside, on Bolton Haw Side.
Date: first half of 19th C? Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Hargreaves Coal Level on Bolton Haw Side.
Date: c. 1841. Photographer: John Gardner. See location

Coal mine slag heaps on Bolton Haw Side.
Date: 1720s-1840s. Photographer: John Gardner. See location

Ceramic pipe used to carry water along the leat from Langshaw Level to Holebottom.
Date: late 1860s? Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Revetement wall (foreground) supporting the leat from Langshaw Level to Holebottom.
Date: late 1860s? Photographer: John Gardner. See location

Site of water wheel pit 50 m above Miner's Bridge built to drive an aerial ropeway.
Date: late 1860s? Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Tail race for water wheel pit below the track 25 m above the Miner's Bridge
Date: late 1860s? Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Site of smelt mill with fragment of wall at Holebottom
Date: c. 1857? Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Mystery structures below the Miners' Bridge, known by archaeological excavation to have held water
Date: late 1850s? Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Miners Bridge, built to improve access to the Bolton Gill mines
Date: 1857. Photographer: John Gardner. See location

Flue rising up the hillside above the site of Holebottom smelt mill
Date: c. 1857? Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Mossy Moor reservoir - used to supply power to the Bolton Gill mines
Date: c.1850. Photographer: John Gardner. See location

Sluice gate on Mossy Moor reservoir - used to supply water to the Bolton Gill mines
Date: c.1850. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Sluice gate on Mossy Moor Reservoir - used to supply water to the Bolton Gill mines
Date: c.1850. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Upper leat to take water from Bolton Gill to Mossy Moor Reservoir
Date: c. 1850. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Lower leat to take water from Mossy Moor Reservoir to Bolton Haw End water wheel
Date: c.1854 Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Inside a leat supplying water to Bolton Haw End waterwheel.
Date: c.1854 Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Foundation for pulley for the ropeway taking power from Holebottom to Bolton Gill
Date: late 1860s. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Foundation with shackle for the ropeway taking power from Holebottom to Bolton Gill
Date: late 1860s. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Tunnel north of the Hush for ropeway taking power from Holebottom to Bolton Gill
Date: late 1860s. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Pillars in valley beyond the Hush for the ropeway taking power from Holebottom to Bolton Gill
Date: late 1860s. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Pulley mounting for the ropeway taking power from Holebottom to Bolton Gill
Date: late 1860s. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Power wheel in buried section of the ropeway taking power from Holebottom to Bolton Gill
Date: late 1860s. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Foundation for pulley for the aerial ropeway taking power from Holebottom to Bolton Gill
Date: late 1860s. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Hole in a wall to allow passage of the ropeway taking power from Holebottom to Bolton Gill
Date: late 1860s. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Pillars to support power cable from Holebottom to Bolton Gill Engine Shaft
Date: late 1860s. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

Wheelpit on Bolton Haw End to supply power to Bolton Gill Engine Shaft
Date: 1860s. Photographer: Chris Foster. See location

A 60cm fragment of cable used to carry mechanical power across Bolton Haw Side to Bolton Engine Shaft
Date: 1860s? From the collection of: Peter Hodge.

(74 images)