Feature Assessment: Cultural landscapes / Abandoned places of industry
# 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.
Overall potential impact rating | |
Overall adaptive capacity rating |
# 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.