DB Specific Record

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***SWAAG_ID***	767
Date Entered	01/12/2013
Updated on	02/12/2013
Recorded by	Tim Laurie
Category	Mining Related
Record Type	Mining
Site Access	Private
Record Date	28/11/2013
Location	Braithwaite Hall Estate and River Cover Banks.
Civil Parish	East Witton
Brit. National Grid	Hidden
Altitude	From140m to
Geology	The following information is extracted from K.G.Dunham and A.A.Wilson, 1985. British Geological Survey: Geology of the North Pennine Orefield Vol. 2 Stainmore to Craven, pp181,182 where a detailed account of the Braithwaite mine is available: Richmond chert strata faulted against Main Limestone. The Braithwaite vein was mined for lead and silver from very early date, possibly as early as the reign of Henry viii and certainly at 1734. Minerals in the spoil heaps include 'pale amber fluorite,, barite, calcite, spalerite,, chalcopyrite and galena. The lead concentrate which in the 19C was sent to Bollihope in Weardale for de-silvering, included 4.6oz silver per ton of lead metal. The West Vein, close to the River Cover was worked from shafts sunk into the Middle Limestone.
Record Name	The Braithwaite Mines, bale site and riverside waterwheel pit which provided power to the pumps
Record Description	This record provides a visual introduction to the extensive lead mine remains centred on shafts located to the north of the road below Braithwaite Hall but which worked lead veins which extended upslope to the limit of enclosed pastures at SE m AOD and downslope to the Banks of the River Cover at SE m AOD. This record also provides an introduction to the very interesting water power management system and water wheel located in a deep pit close to the River Cover associated with the requirement for dewatering the lower levels of the mine via a suspended timber rod transmission line '1000ft' (456m) in length. These remains include a very large water wheel pit which survives in remarkably good condition despite tree growing within it and two other large masonry structures located lower downstream on the bank of the River Cover which could be the remains of two further water wheel structures using a side channel of the River together with a water leat which powered the large wheel(s) and associated hollow ways leading northward towards Middleham on the north bank of the river.
Dimensions	Wheel pit approx. 10.5m 2m4m deep
Additional Notes	Reference: K.G.Dunham andA.A.Wilson, 1985. British Geological Survey. Geology of the North Pennine Orefield Vol. 2 Stainmore to Craven, pp181,182 See captions to the photographs for brief details of the shaft mounds on the Braithwaite Vein from moor edge to the River Cover and of the remains of the water management system which provided power to the mine pumps over a distance of 456m via a suspended timber rod transmission on triangular timber supports, now leaving no visible trace.
Image 1 ID	4825 Click image to enlarge
Image 1 Description	Braithwaite Hall from the road to East Witton.
Image 2 ID	4829 Click image to enlarge
Image 2 Description	Shaft mound north of the road below Braithwaite Hall.
Image 3 ID	4828 Click image to enlarge
Image 3 Description	Shaft mound north of the road below Braithwaite Hall.
Image 4 ID	4826 Click image to enlarge
Image 4 Description	Hullo Bridge, caries the track to Middleham over the River Cover below Braithwaite Hall
Image 5 ID	4832 Click image to enlarge
Image 5 Description	Hullo Bridge. A leat took water from the R. Cover above Hullo Bridge down to discharge above the large wheel pit.
Image 6 ID	4834 Click image to enlarge
Image 6 Description	The masonry lined wheel pit is 10m2m4m deep approximately
Image 7 ID	4835 Click image to enlarge
Image 7 Description	The masonry lined wheel pit
Image 8 ID	4836 Click image to enlarge
Image 8 Description	The masonry lined wheel pit
Image 9 ID	4837 Click image to enlarge
Image 9 Description	The masonry lined wheel pit
Image 10 ID	4838 Click image to enlarge
Image 10 Description	The substantial masonry of a walled platform, which may mark the site of a second water wheel, can just be seen on the north bank of the River Cover some 80m downstream from the large wheel pit. A canal like leat leads to this platform from the outflow of the large wheel pit, see next image.
Image 11 ID	4848 Click image to enlarge
Image 11 Description	The masonry platform on the North Bank of the Cover 80m downstream of the wheel pit
Image 12 ID	4849 Click image to enlarge
Image 12 Description	This water leat connects the outflow from the wheel pit to the river bank platform
Image 13 ID	4830 Click image to enlarge
Image 13 Description	Shaft mound on the Braithwaite West Vein close to the River Cover.
Image 14 ID	4831 Click image to enlarge
Image 14 Description	Shaft mound on the Braithwaite West Vein close to the River Cover 1km upstream of Hullo Bridge.
Image 15 ID	4827 Click image to enlarge
Image 15 Description	An old hollow way leads away towards Middleham from this pool on the River Cover 1km downstream of Hullo Bridge. A stone structure on an abandoned channel by the south bank downstream of this pool marks the location of a possible further unrecorded waterwheel.
Image 16 ID	4840 Click image to enlarge
Image 16 Description	Unrecorded stone structure below the Scar on the south bank of the Cover, a possible 3rd waterwheel
Image 17 ID	4841 Click image to enlarge
Image 17 Description	Unrecorded stone structure below the Scar on the south bank of the Cover, a possible 3rd waterwheel
Image 18 ID	4842 Click image to enlarge
Image 18 Description	Shaft mounds and hush high above Braithwaite Hall
Image 19 ID	4843 Click image to enlarge
Image 19 Description	Undated defended earthwork enclosure above Braithwaite Hall.
Image 20 ID	4844 Click image to enlarge
Image 20 Description	SWAAG Members at the lead bale site by the gill below the Braithwaite 'Fort'.
Image 21 ID	4845 Click image to enlarge
Image 21 Description	The lead bale
Image 22 ID	4850 Click image to enlarge
Image 22 Description	Hollow way close to junction with north bank of the River Cover
Image 23 ID	4851 Click image to enlarge
Image 23 Description	Hollow way leading downstream.
Image 24 ID	4852 Click image to enlarge
Image 24 Description	Hollow way leading downstream, northward towards Middleham and eastward towards Cover Bridge and East Witton.
Image 25 ID	4853 Click image to enlarge
Image 25 Description	River cove from the end of the hollow way, at fording point the River Cover, except when in flood.