NOTES ON FEBRUARY 2007 MEETING

The Exploitation of the Landscape

At their February meeting the Alston Moor Historical Society was pleased to once again welcome John Crompton, a local acknowledged expert on all aspects of mining. On this occasion the subject for his talk was ‘The Exploitation of the Landscape’, illustrated by many particularly impressive photographic slides.

Throughout the length and breadth of Britain man has, for centuries, prised all manner of minerals from beneath the ground and, by and large, paid little regard to the environment or preservation of the landscape. Restoration of sites after extraction was completed was virtually unheard of and the operators usually just walked away and left nature to her own devices. Whilst the sites were active the ravaging of the land, mud, smoke, noise and general chaos is difficult to imagine. Generally speaking sites ranged from unhealthy to downright dangerous and with little in the way of Health and Safety or environmental legal protection, operators were often unscrupulous in the way they conducted their business.

Given the damage caused to the landscape it is remarkable the way in which nature has healed the scars over the ensuing years. Indeed many sites have changed and do not necessarily reflect their previous appearance but have acquired a new charm and beauty. Man has reshaped the landscape in his efforts to extract minerals and caused nature to repair the damage in most wonderful ways. Many old sites are in what are now regarded as beautiful areas, often Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, conservation areas, or National Parks and have additional support from organisations such as National Trust, local preservation groups, local authorities or local communities. Many sites have become major tourist attractions and are well known and instantly recognised. Thus not only has nature given man the raw materials from beneath the ground but has now provided opportunities to bring the land back to life, in some cases enhancing the original, and enabling it to be usedfor tourism, educational and recreational purposes.

The tin mining industry in Cornwall is well known for the dramatic images of mine buildings clinging precariously to cliff faces. These are very evocative sights and have inspired artists and writers alike, including Winston Graham with his 12 Poldark novels. Most of the mines are owned by the Duchy of Cornwall and have gradually fallen into disuse, the last working mine closing in 1989. Many engine houses still exist in varying degree of dilapidation but one has been restored by the National Trust. Access to some mines is extremely hazardous and they have been closed off. Engine houses of similar design are to be found in Spain. Also in Cornwall ,but perhaps not so attractive, are the remains of the china clay workings at St. Austell.

Wales had rich supplies of coal and its extraction was a major industry resulting in serious scarring of the landscape with spoil heaps and the usual detritus associated with deep mining activities. Llangollen was the site of the Welsh slate industry which was also impacted adversely upon the landscape. Similar workings are found in Cumbria at Honister. Honister crag is now worked out but produced a prodigious quantity of slate during its working life.

The North Pennines is well known for its lead and other mineral extraction industry and here again it is a thing of the past. However signs of the very extensive activities of the mining that took place for centuries are evident almost everywhere and there are few fields or open areas that do not show the evidence. Much of the carnage has been self-healed by nature and it is difficult to envisage how badly the land was damaged. One of the main methods used to extract minerals was by hushing i.e. allowing large volumes of water to run down a hillside and so reveal the ore under the surface. Continuous erosion in this way has produced the clearly visible valleys and ravines which can be seen all over the Pennines. Reservoirs were built to store the water needed for this process and many of them still exist, nestling into the hillsides above the hushes. The debris produced from this method of working must have been considerable but nature has restored the land to look perfectly acceptable and, it could even be argued, added some additional and attractive features.

The adits or shafts into the drift mines now look quaint and mystical but they were the gateway to an underground nightmare for men, boys and ponies. The spoil which was formed into heaps was taken out through these tunnels but, here again, the heaps are largely now grass covered and not unpleasing to the eye. Mine buildings still exist in various stages of decay. It is possible to find powder houses situate away from the main buildings. These were designed to blow the roof off in the event of an explosion rather than damage the walls. Such a building can still be seen at Allenheads. Also at the same mine a concrete runway for a river has been built to prevent the water leaking into the mine workings. Outlines of flues taking waste gases to a chimney stacks on high ground can be readily identified and everywhere there are old mine shafts, mostly capped, but in some areas of remote moorland they are still open. The remains of bell pits can be clearly seen at Garrigill.

Because most of the mines are in remote rural positions the landscape was also changed by the building of settlements, villages and even towns to house the workers. Many of these have survived the closure of the mines but, inevitably, some have fallen into ruin, as can be seen in many places in the North Pennines.

The riches taken from the ground were essential to Britain’s progress into becoming a major industrial force. However nature demanded a price to be paid and this came in the form of human suffering, injury and death. Working conditions were appalling and the quality of life for the workers abysmal. Deaths were common place as were serious maimings, which were arguably worse than death, given the lack of medical and welfare resources and the consequent inability to work to earn a living. Throughout the country there are countless examples of nature’s revenge, often involving large numbers of lives. One of the most poignant and malicious occurred in 1934 at Gresford Colliery, North Wales. On a Friday, at the end of the week, the miners decided to work through the night and do an extra shift so that they could have the Saturday off to enjoy the village Fair with their families. In a cruel twist of irony the mine exploded that same night, when it would normally have been unoccupied, and 266 lives were lost.

Hopefully man and nature are now at peace with one another and each can support the other to their mutual advantage.

NEXT MEETING

The subject for the next meeting will be ‘The Rise and Fall of the English Riding Surnames’ – otherwise known as the Reivers. The meeting will be held in the Alston Masonic Hall and begins at 7.30 pm.

Mine Disaster images

This stark and evocative memorial was unveiled in 1982 to commemorate the loss of 266 lives in the Gresford Colliery, North Wales, mine disaster of 1934.

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