Abandoned places of industry

Overall vulnerability

Feature(s) assessed:

• Abandoned places of industry

Special qualities:

• Undeveloped places of tranquillity and dark night skies within reach of millions
• Landscapes that tell a story of thousands of years of people, farming and industry

Feature description:

Across the PDNP there are examples of abandoned places of industry, some dating back hundreds of years. These range from lead workings, mines and lead smelting sites and buildings, to spoil heaps, limekilns, quarries, mills, water management features and a range of smaller-scale industrial processes.

Mining was prevalent in the area and there are remains of various types of mining including chert mines near Bakewell, coal mines at Goyts Moss and Axe Edge, and copper mines at Ecton Hill. Many also have associated soughs which are underground drainage channels built to take water out of the mines. Features associated with lead mining are covered in more detail in ‘Lead mining’. There are also former quarrying sites for minerals, limestone and gritstone, and the production of lime and specialist gritstone products such as millstones.

A number of former railway lines that once also served quarries and mines have since been utilised to become trails for walkers, cyclists and horse riders. See ‘Paths, tracks and trails’ for more information.

Some of the old industrial buildings and infrastructure remain, like those at Millers Dale on the Monsal Trail where work is being carried out to restore the old goods shed. Formerly the Midland Railway Line, the route takes visitors past lime kilns and abandoned quarries.

How vulnerable are abandoned places of industry?

Abandoned places of industry have been rated ‘high’ on our vulnerability scale. This score is due to high sensitivity and exposure to climate change variables, coupled with a variable current condition, and a moderate adaptive capacity.

The current condition of these features across the PDNP is variable. Designation as a scheduled monument does provide some protection but only includes a small number of these sites. Climate change could have a major impact on abandoned sites of industry with workings underground potentially at risk from storm events or changes in groundwater levels. While appropriate management can partially counteract climate change, only a limited amount of funding is available.

Current condition:

There are a wide range of abandoned industry sites in the PDNP in a variable condition. Some sites are affected by damage from plant growth and/or animal burrowing.

A small number of sites are designated as scheduled monuments providing some protection and detailed information about their condition. There are currently eight sites in the PDNP on the Heritage at Risk register and two of them are categorised as 'industrial'. The Copper mines on Ecton Hill (Staffordshire) are described as being in "generally satisfactory (improving) condition", with a principle vulnerability being from scrub and tree growth. The second industrial site on the register is Alport smelt mill, Harthill in the Derbyshire Dales. This has extensive significant problems including shrub and tree growth and is in a declining condition.

However, it is likely that there are many more sites both scheduled and unscheduled that are at risk particularly from erosion caused by water and wind.

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What are the potential impacts of climate change?

Overall potential impact rating

Direct impacts of climate change

Abandoned places of industry are susceptible to climate change in several ways. Storm events and extremely wet conditions would increase the risk of collapse of underground mining features or the submerging of remains preventing their survey and management. Soils and the features themselves are sensitive to erosion from increased hydraulic action, while structures and archaeological earthworks could be damaged or weakened directly by hydraulic action or the increase in flow of sediment or debris. Such conditions could also affect the ability to undertake some types of survey work as well as being challenging for excavation, particularly on slow draining geologies. Any change to the water table could reduce the water in submerged workings which could also have an impact. Data Certainty: High

Surface structures are sensitive to fluctuations of temperature so any increase in thermal expansion and contraction of stone and soil could lead to accelerated attritional damage. Data Certainty: Moderate They are also susceptible to shrink-swell action especially on clay rich ground. The British Geological Survey has described this process as ‘the most damaging geohazard in Britain today’. As a result, monuments could be altered or damaged. Cycles of wetting and drying can be particularly damaging to buried archaeological remains. Data Certainty: Low

Human behaviour change

Future desire for renewable energy could potentially see minewater used as an energy source. This would cause a huge amount of potential change to aesthetics and infrastructure of abandoned industrial sites. Ground source heat pumps are likely to be a growth area and it may be that the heat capacity available in minewater could provide heating or cooling in buildings. Research in the USA has shown that acidic minewaters can be used in fuel cells to generate electricity. Such uses of abandoned mines could damage or lead to the modification of a feature unless carried out with sensitivity. Data Certainty: Moderate

Hotter, drier summers could see a rise in tourist numbers, potentially increasing erosion from foot traffic and possibly an increase in vandalism. There may also be an increase in damage to or loss of heritage assets from changing landscape use such as more intensive farming; the use of deep-rooted energy crops; and new developments. There is a small possibility these changes may uncover new sites. Data Certainty: Moderate

Changes in temperature, rainfall and extreme events could have an impact on archaeological earthworks and subsurface remains on farmland. Such features will be sensitive to changes in farming economics and therefore crop types and grazing regimes. A loss of vegetation groundcover on or around structures could lead to an acceleration of damage Data Certainty: Low. An increase in storms or drought frequency could lead to changes in land use. Grazing levels may be altered as a result of changes in ground moisture with a possible reduction in cover if drier, or an increase in vegetation if wetter and grazing animals must be removed - both potentially leading to damage. Data Certainty: Low

Any efforts to reduce the importation and transportation of minerals from elsewhere may see economic pressure to reopen disused workings. However, there are tight controls in place within the PDNP over such activity. Data Certainty: Low

Invasive or other species interactions

Increased annual average temperatures may result in higher populations of burrowing mammals such as badgers, moles and rabbits as well as increased vegetation growth. Stonework and structure foundations and earthworks such as spoil heaps are sensitive to burrowing mammals, and can be damaged or covered by excessive vegetation growth. Stonework may be destabilised, and buried archaeological deposits disturbed. Features may become covered in scrub or vegetation. Data Certainty: High

Changes in atmospheric conditions including increased carbon dioxide levels, coupled with wetter warmer winters may potentially see an increase in the growth in some plant species including trees and shrubs. Physical damage to structures may be accelerated. Data Certainty: Moderate

Nutrient changes or environmental contamination

Increased atmospheric carbon dioxide could increase water acidity and impact abandoned places of industry that relate to lime production, such as kilns and spoil heaps which are naturally alkaline. Land adjacent to other abandoned mineral workings could become contaminated. While this may not impact the feature itself in the short-term, contamination could have a significant impact on habitat and soil in the surrounding area - leading to land abandonment and increased levels of vegetation cover. Changes in plant species on earthworks could damage archaeological remains and lead to increased erosion risk. Data Certainty: High

Climate change may increase the problem of pollution from abandoned mines. Greater storm frequency and rainfall intensity may speed erosion of spoil heap material and sediments, and result in increased contamination of agricultural land downstream. In addition, longer dry spells would allow soluble mineral salts to form which can then be dissolved and discharged during rain events. Land adjacent to abandoned mineral workings could become more contaminated. This could also impact habitat and soil surrounding the feature, leading to changes such as land abandonment and increased vegetation cover. Data Certainty: Low

Sedimentation or erosion

Hotter summers and warmer winters could see changes to soil decomposition rates. The stability of structures could be impaired by changes to soil, and the cracking of ground will make them susceptible to damage. Wetter winters could also see structures destabilised by increased soil erosion, reducing the long-term robustness of structures. Archaeological deposits and earthworks may also be compromised. Data Certainty: Low

Groundcover on or around structures and earthworks may be sensitive to drought and a loss of vegetation could lead to the acceleration of damage. Data Certainty: Low

Other indirect climate change impacts

Hotter, drier summers may lead to an increase in grassland and moorland fires. Groundcover on earthworks and around structures is sensitive to weathering and erosion after fire damage. If vegetation is removed, this in turn may potentially increase the risk of future erosion. Data Certainty: Low

What is the adaptive capacity of abandoned places of industry?

Overall adaptive capacity rating

Some structures are scheduled and therefore have a degree of protection from damage and changes to farming practices such as ploughing - however, this does not apply to many sites. The most vulnerable designated heritage assets may be included on Historic England’s ‘Heritage at Risk’ register, which means they may be monitored more closely. Management actions at scheduled sites may be able to partially offset climate stressors, however there needs to be mechanisms and funding to achieve this beyond very limited grant funding. Data Certainty: High

Historic England Management Agreements, Environmental Stewardship, National Lottery Heritage Funding and other grant funding is available for conservation and restoration but is very limited. For non-designated heritage assets, funding for conservation and repair is extremely limited. Data Certainty: Moderate Abandoned industrial remains are a finite resource and susceptible to damage and loss. Appropriate management and conservation actions should be able to at least partially offset climate change stressors if funding is available but in general, large-scale surface and underground workings can be extremely difficult to manage and conserve. Data Certainty: Moderate

There is a good degree of diversity in types and condition of sites and they are found in locations with varying geology, habitat and land use. This increases the adaptive capacity of the resource as a whole. Data Certainty: Low

A good level of information and skill is available to make appropriate adaptations and to deal with most climate change stressors. Management advice is available from organisations including Historic England and PDNPA. Scheduled status means these monuments have a better chance of appropriate action being taken than non-scheduled or undiscovered sites. However, around 95% of cultural heritage assets are currently non-designated, so very few abandoned places of industry will benefit from any kind of protection. Data Certainty: Low

Key adaptation recommendations for abandoned places of industry:

Improve current condition to increase resilience

The current condition of a feature is an important factor alongside its sensitivity and exposure, in determining its vulnerability to climate change. These recommendations are aimed at improving the condition of the feature at present, therefore making it better able to withstand future changes to climate.

• Ensure that the industrial heritage of the PDNP is properly recorded and embedded into all areas of PDNPA’s activities (policy development, interpretation, visitor development etc.).
• Ensure that any climate adaptations can be reversed to prevent long term impacts on features.
• Nurture collaborative networks to build capacity for monitoring (e.g. Peak District Mines Historical Society, local interest groups).
• If visitor numbers increase at easy to access locations, encourage visitors to use alternative transport such as bikes and public transport to maintain tranquillity of the area.

Improve current condition to increase resilience: Targeted conservation efforts for important sites and at risk areas

The current condition of a feature is an important factor alongside its sensitivity and exposure, in determining its vulnerability to climate change. These recommendations are conservation measures aimed at those sites that will have the biggest impact for this feature – either because they are particularly important for the feature or because they are most at risk from climate change.

• Increase knowledge about what assets exist, and their condition, to help determine which specific sites in the PDNP are most in need of protection.
• Undertake regular monitoring (including at landscape scale) of selected sites to identify those sites likely to be most vulnerable in terms of archaeology and ecology.
• Monitor outcomes of any change to sites. Select representative samples to monitor on sites where management actions are being implemented and sites where they are not.
• Put forward key sites for scheduling.
• Implement suitable natural flood management techniques in valley bottom sites, such as mills.