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Viewing swaag.org website implies consent to set cookies on your computer. Full details Swaledale and Arkengarthdale Archaeology Group
Registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation Number 1155775
SWAAG Honorary President:
Tim Laurie F,S,A,

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 *****SWAAG_ID***** 49
 Date Entered 11/01/2011
 Updated on 05/01/2012
 Recorded by Stephen Eastmead (admin)
 Category Mining Related
 Record Type Mining
 Site Access Public Footpath
 Record Date 08/08/2010
 Location Booze Wood Level - Langthwaite
 Civil Parish Arkengarthdale
 Brit. National Grid NZ 01426 01984
 Altitude 254m
 Record Name Booze Wood Level - Langthwaite
 Record Description Booze Wood Level - Langthwaite Copyright all images: 2010 Chris Twigg. Images taken 08-08-2010.

Further information from Alan Mills: Booze Wood Level is a 19th C lead mine, later used as an underground quarry for building stone, mainly flagstone. It is said that the houses on Bridge Terrace, Reeth were roofed with flag from this source. Jaques & Company started work on the level soon after 1863. It was driven almost due North, intended to try the Booze (Fell End) vein in the Fourth (Five Yard) Limestone. Progress was slow; by 1869 the level had only been driven ca. 320m.The Arkengarthdale Lead Mining Company was formed in 1870 and continued work on the level. The Booze vein was first cut in 1872 with the first ore being raised in September that year. It seems that the mine was not as productive as hoped. The limited data available shows an annual average of only 67 tons of ore over a 12 year period in the 1870's and 1880's compared with 145 tons/yr from Danby Level and 966 tons/yr from Faggergill. The air in Booze Wood Level was, and still is, poor. At an unknown date, an airshaft was sunk from the hamlet of Booze. This is located at NZ 01456 02457 at an altitude of ca. 323m, suggesting a depth of ca.70m. All that remains on the surface is a large depression, ca. 4m across, on the left ca. 40m before the entrance to Town Farm, Booze. For further information see (1) British Mining No.73 Memoirs 2003; p112ff, An Initial Survey of Booze Wood Level, July 2003, Alan Mills. (2) British Mining No.53 "The Arkengarthdale Mines", L.O.Tyson. (3) "Swaledale - its mines & smelt mills", Mike Gill.

Images 11 -16 copyright Alan Mills 2003
 Image 1 ID 79         Click image to enlarge
 Image 1 Description Image 1 of 10
 Image 2 ID 80         Click image to enlarge
 Image 2 Description Image 2 of 10
 Image 3 ID 81         Click image to enlarge
 Image 3 Description Image 3 of 10
 Image 4 ID 82         Click image to enlarge
 Image 4 Description Image 4 of 10
 Image 5 ID 83         Click image to enlarge
 Image 5 Description Image 5 of 10
 Image 6 ID 84         Click image to enlarge
 Image 6 Description Image 6 of 10
 Image 7 ID 85         Click image to enlarge
 Image 7 Description Image 7 of 10
 Image 8 ID 86         Click image to enlarge
 Image 8 Description Image 8 of 10
 Image 9 ID 87         Click image to enlarge
 Image 9 Description Image 9 of 10
 Image 10 ID 88         Click image to enlarge
 Image 10 Description Image 10 of 10
 Image 11 ID 717         Click image to enlarge
 Image 11 Description Plan of 2003 survey of Booze Wood Level over OS 1912 map showing presumed line of Booze vein
 Image 12 ID 718         Click image to enlarge
 Image 12 Description Iron pegs (old jumpers?) holding up rail which in turn supports half-arching
 Image 13 ID 719         Click image to enlarge
 Image 13 Description Base of airshaft
 Image 14 ID 720         Click image to enlarge
 Image 14 Description Looking up the airshaft
 Image 15 ID 722         Click image to enlarge
 Image 15 Description In the main stone workings, approx 220m in-bye, block supported on iron bar
 Image 16 ID 716         Click image to enlarge
 Image 16 Description Sketch plan by Malcolm Needham, 2003, of main stone workings, approx 220m in-bye to East
 
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