It's been on my list for some time to visit the lead mines on the moors above Grassington, and I finally did, a couple of weeks ago. Following a steep lane up from Grassington village, you eventually arrive at the hamlet of Yarnbury, which is nothing more than a large (Grade II listed) house with a few cottages and outbuildings. The house was built in the late 1700s. The Duke of Devonshire's Mineral Agents, Cornelius Flint and later John Taylor, apparently employed local agents who lived and had their offices here, overlooking the mining area. I've searched the censuses. In 1871 and 1881 the occupier was Thomas Trevethan. Born in Cornwall, he was a 'mining agent and assayer of minerals' - who lived there with his wife Harriet and their six children.
It's a rather attractive house with fantastic views, and it's still a private residence, though it's right out 'in the middle of nowhere' nowadays. Of course, in the late 18th and early 19th centuries this area was a hive of industry, though by 1882 the lead mines had largely been abandoned. I'll show some more photos tomorrow, taken as I explored the Lead Mining Trail.
I love that last atmospheric photo. One of the joys of walking and photography is the way it can open up all kinds of interesting subjects which we might otherwise ignore.
ReplyDeleteJohn chose a good name for that last photo, which I love. The one before shows a broken wall, I think, while the last one shows how they should be kept up.
ReplyDeleteThe views from up there are wonderful!
ReplyDeleteThat last shot is quite dramatic.
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