Line of old shafts making out the run of the vein on Hawkswick Moor
© Copyright John Illingworth and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence
This area of limestone is crossed by numerous small veins, and some of the workings on them, which may date from the first millennium, are believed to be amongst the oldest in the Dales.
All of the mining is small in scale and probably employed a few men for many years. Nevertheless, one mine at Dew Bottoms was the first recorded one in Yorkshire to use gunpowder blasting in 1678.
Ore from the mines was smelted at mills in neighbouring villages.
Hawkswick Moor Mines
Two groups of veins have been worked here from shallows shafts and opencuts.
The eastern group, of at least nine veins, cross the hill from Middlesmoor Pasture in Kettlewell. They have been worked in the limestone, but to no great depth.
The western group is marked by shallow shafts, but at Cold Streak Mine they have also been worked by opencasting and a level.
See: Gill, M.C.
The Wharfedale Mines (British Mining No.49, 1994)
