Remains of Lead Mine at Coldberry (County Durham)


Coldberry, Middleton-in-Teesdale © DCC 2007

The ruins, earthworks and other remains of the Coldberry lead mine. The monument lies between the Hudeshope and Bow Lee becks. The early history of the [lead workings] at Coldberry is uncertain though more than two million tons of material had been removed from the hush prior to the mid-18th century. The mines were later worked by an extensive network of levels and dressing floors were built on artificial terraces in the 19th century. The mine declined thereafter though an oreshoot was worked between the late 1930s and 1953. The Coldberry Gutter hush measures 1.7 metres long and is up to 50 metres wide by 30 metres deep. At the east end of the hush stand the remains of the largely mid-19th century Coldberry Mine built by the London Lead Company. The mine includes a two-storey mine shop or mine lodging shop, a stable and smithy block, and a roofed powder store. All are Grade II Listed Buildings. The dressing floors situated to the south west have been landscaped following the removal of the waste tips for reprocessing, though extensive deposits relating to the 19th century are considered to survive below ground. The remains of a 5 metre diameter round buddle is exposed on the lower floors, together with in situ timber lining, a range of timber settling tanks and areas of flooring of edge laid fire bricks, suggesting that other buried features will survive in adjacent areas. In addition, the monument includes the remains of a water balance incline, which is one of only two known examples in the North Pennines. This consists of a concrete engine bed and a walled incline. To the west of Coldberry Mine ore works is Slate Sill level. The level has an intact corbelled arch portal, and adjacent remains of a two-roomed mineshop. Associated with the lead mine is an extensive water management system of earthen dams and leats. Scheduled. (9)