Scraithole Mine Carrshield, West Allendale, Northumberland.
OS Ref: Scraithole
Low Level NY80324694, Scraithole Middle Level NY79984683, Scraithole High Level
NY79794682.
Scraithole Mine was driven on three levels, the Low, Middle and Top.
The High Level was driven beneath the Firestone Sill looking for the
continuation of the Wellhope Head Veins on the east side of the fell in 1820.
By 1829 the Middle and Low Levels had been started as well, however due to the
poor mineralisation of galena the workings were abandoned. The mine was next
worked from 1861 to 1878, when the Middle and Low Levels were further driven
towards the west. The Middle Level was driven in the White and Pattinson Sills
and the Low Level below the Great Limestone in the Quarty Hazel. Working was
stopped again due to the lack of lead ore. During these periods the mine was
first owned by the Beaumont Company and then the Vielle Montagne Zinc
Company.
In the
1970's the Low Level was opened by Eric Richardson, but this was on a very
small scale, and the workings were abandoned in 1974. In the late 1970's
Industrial Minerals Ltd opened the workings again and mined them for witherite
and spalerite using a small gravity plant for the separation. However the
separation method proved to be uneconomic and the company ceased operation in
1981. The work undertook in this period included the reopening of the Dodd
Level (crosscut) to the Gudhamgill Flats and of the Wellhope Head Top Level as
a means for exit.
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