Details

The monument lies on and around a near-vertical valley side, 1km south east of
Castleton, and includes all the earthworks and buried remains of the Pin Dale
lead side veins. The extraction of lead-bearing strata from extremely narrow
veins, close to the surface and surrounded by limestone, left a number of
narrow vertical slits in the limestone orebody, which exist alongside more
typical shaftmounds.
The side veins represent a form of opencut lead mining, which demonstrates the
response of miners to an unusual form of mineralisation. The side veins are a
series of well preserved, narrow slits (some only 0.4m wide) cut by hand from
the surface of limestone crags into lead-bearing veins. Tool marks are clearly
visible in some. They appear now as open slits or channels of varying length.
Some are between 2m and 3m long, whilst others are cut through extensive
stretches of limestone and have the appearance of narrow quarries. In some
cases parallel cuts have been worked around a core of limestone, leaving large
isolated blocks as a particularly distinctive feature.
In addition to the side veins, a number of vertical shafts are included in the
scheduling. These appear as small shaftmounds or in some cases as open shafts.
A number of spoilheaps, relating to both side vein and shaft workings, are
also included. Buried remains will include dressing areas, where early stages
of ore processing were carried out, whilst the spoilheaps will provide further
technological information on mining activities.

MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

The Pin Dale side veins are believed to be a nationally unique feature,
demonstrating the response of miners to local geology. The side veins are
well-preserved, with toolmarks still clearly visible in places, and are a
distinctive landscape feature. Although they are themselves unparalleled,
their low-technological response to difficult geological conditions is a
feature characteristic of lead mining in Derbyshire.
The side veins will contribute to an understanding of the wide range of mining
activities which took place in the Derbyshire orefield.

Source: Historic England