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Roughtongill Mines, Caldbeck
Roughtongill Mines
Roughtongill Lead Mines
Roughton Gill Mines
Silver Gill Mine
Mexico Mine
locality:-   Roughton Gill
locality:-   Caldbeck Fells
civil parish:-   Caldbeck (formerly Cumberland)
county:-   Cumbria
locality type:-   copper mine
locality type:-   lead mine
locality type:-   zinc mine
locality type:-   mine
coordinates:-   NY30283445 (etc) 
1Km square:-   NY3034
10Km square:-   NY33
10Km square:-   NY33
references:-   Adams, John: 1988: Mines of the Lake District Fells: Dalesman Books (Lancaster, Lancashire):: ISBN 0 85206 931 6

photograph
BNZ02.jpg  Works.
(taken 15.8.2007)  
evidence:-   old map:- OS County Series (Cmd 47 11) 
placename:-  Roughtongill Mining Works
source data:-   Maps, County Series maps of Great Britain, scales 6 and 25 inches to 1 mile, published by the Ordnance Survey, Southampton, Hampshire, from about 1863 to 1948.
"Roughtongill Mining Works (Lead) / Level / Smithy"
evidence:-   old map:- Saxton 1579
placename:-  Mynes, The
source data:-   Map, hand coloured engraving, Westmorlandiae et Cumberlandiae Comitatus ie Westmorland and Cumberland, scale about 5 miles to 1 inch, by Christopher Saxton, London, engraved by Augustinus Ryther, 1576, published 1579-1645.
image
Sax9NY23.jpg
"The mynes"
4 or 5 black diamond shapes, the mine holes, in the hillocks N of Mosedale. 
item:-  private collection : 2
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   probably old map:- Mercator 1595 (edn?) 
source data:-   Map, hand coloured engraving, Northumbria, Cumberlandia, et Dunelmensis Episcopatus, ie Northumberland, Cumberland and Durham etc, scale about 6.5 miles to 1 inch, by Gerard Mercator, Duisberg, Germany, about 1595.
image
MER8CumC.jpg
"The Mynes"
?caverns on Caldbeck Fell 
item:-  JandMN : 169
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old map:- Speed 1611 (Cmd) 
source data:-   Map, hand coloured engraving, Cumberland and the Ancient Citie Carlile Described, scale about 4 miles to 1 inch, by John Speed, 1610, published by J Sudbury and George Humble, Popes Head Alley, London, 1611-12.
image
SP11NY23.jpg
"The Mynes"
two ?adits on a hillock 
item:-  private collection : 16
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   perhaps poem:- Drayton 1612/1622 text
source data:-   Poem, Poly Olbion, by Michael Drayton, published by published by John Marriott, John Grismand and Thomas Dewe, and others? London, part 1 1612, part 2 1622.
image DRY6P166, button  goto source
page 166:-  "...
But Westward [Forest] ... by her more widened Slade.
Of more abundance boasts, as of those mighty Mynes,
Which in her Verge she hath: ..."
evidence:-   old map:- Jansson 1646
placename:-  Mynes, The
source data:-   Map, hand coloured engraving, Cumbria and Westmoria, ie Cumberland and Westmorland, scale about 3.5 miles to 1 inch, by John Jansson, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 1646.
image
JAN3NY23.jpg
"The Mynes"
Two black spots drawn on the hillock. 
item:-  JandMN : 88
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   probably old map:- Seller 1694 (Cmd) 
source data:-   Map, uncoloured engraving, Cumberland, scale about 12 miles to 1 inch, by John Seller, 1694.
image  click to enlarge
SEL9.jpg
"the Myne"
two spots; mines 
item:-  Dove Cottage : 2007.38.89
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old map:- Morden 1695 (Cmd) 
source data:-   Map, uncoloured engraving, Cumberland, scale about 4 miles to 1 inch, by Robert Morden, 1695, published by Abel Swale, the Unicorn, St Paul's Churchyard, Awnsham, and John Churchill, the Black Swan, Paternoster Row, London, 1695-1715.
image
MD12NY23.jpg
"The Mines"
No symbols. 
item:-  JandMN : 90
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   probably old map:- Bowen and Kitchin 1760
source data:-   Map, hand coloured engraving, A New Map of the Counties of Cumberland and Westmoreland Divided into their Respective Wards, scale about 4 miles to 1 inch, by Emanuel Bowen and Thomas Kitchin et al, published by T Bowles, Robert Sayer, and John Bowles, London, 1760.
image
BO18NY23.jpg
"Copper Mines"
in hills near Uldale 
item:-  Armitt Library : 2008.14.10
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old text:- Camden 1789
source data:-   Book, Britannia, or A Chorographical Description of the Flourishing Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland, by William Camden, 1586, translated from the 1607 Latin edition by Richard Gough, published London, 1789.
image CAM2P174, button  goto source
Page 174:-  "..."
"On the Caude, besides the copper mines at Caudebeck, ..."
evidence:-   old text:- Postlethwaite 1877 (3rd edn 1913) 
placename:-  Roughtengill Mine
item:-  lead ore; zinc ore; iron pyrites; manganese; barytes; galena; silver; smelter
source data:-   Book, Mines and Mining in the English Lake District, by John Postlethwaite, Keswick, published by W H Moss and Sons, Whitehaven, Cumberland now Cumbria, 1877; published 1877-1913.
image PST3p129, button  goto source
page 129:-  "ROUGHTENGILL MINE."
"Roughtengill has been the most productive mine in the Caldbeck Fells District, both as regards the quantity and variety of its ores and minerals. It is also the oldest having been wrought extensively before the use of gunpowder was known, and there are traces of several ancient smelting hearths, which prove that lead ore has been smelted here at a very early period. In 1794 large and commodious smelting works were erected near this mine, but they soon fell into disuse, and were afterwards converted into cottages. The mine is situated about four miles south-west of Caldbeck; it embraces two parallel veins, about eleven fathoms apart, the bearings of which are about fifteen degrees south of west and north of east, and a cross course, which runs about twenty degrees north of west and south of east, and intersects the other veins diagonally. Immense numbers of strings also intersect the veins, and often produce ore at the points of intersection. These veins yield no less than twenty-three distinct minerals, consisting chiefly of different varieties of lead, copper, and zinc ores, together with manganese, iron pyrites, barytes, &c.*"
"The old workings in Roughtengill, which have been cut with stope and feather, are very extensive, reaching downwards from the point where the mine was first opened, to a depth of twenty fathoms. The blue galena and copper ores alone, had been removed by the old men, while the various coloured decomposition products"
"*The great variety of ores and minerals found in these veins, is probably due in part to the mineral character of the enclosing rocks, the igneous rocks of the Caldbeck Mountains."
image PST3p130, button  goto source
page 130:-  "of lead were left, showing that the miners of those days were not aware of the value of the latter; but their successors have profited by it, and have obtained many hundreds of tons from the old refuse. After the introduction of gunpowder into mining, three lower adits were driven, namely, the thirty, sixty, and ninety fathom levels; a shaft has also been sunk to a depth of twenty fathoms below the ninety fathom level. During these operations large quantities of lead, copper, and zinc ores were raised, varying in the aggregate from 60 to 100 tons per month. It became exhausted, however, and was closed about thirty-five years ago, but was re-opened - 1888 - for the purpose of raising barytes and umber."
"The proprietors of this mine also held and worked Carrock End, Drygill, and Silvergill Mines."
evidence:-   old map:- Postlethwaite 1877 (3rd edn 1913) 
placename:-  Roughtengill Mine
source data:-   Map, uncoloured engraving, Map of the Lake District Mining Field, Westmorland, Cumberland, Lancashire, scale about 5 miles to 1 inch, by John Postlethwaite, published by W H Moss and Sons, 13 Lowther Street, Whitehaven, Cumberland, 1877 edn 1913.
image
PST2NY23.jpg
"Roughtengill Mine"
mine symbol 
item:-  JandMN : 162.2
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old map:- Postlethwaite 1877 (3rd edn 1913) 
placename:-  Silvergill Mine
source data:-   Map, uncoloured engraving, Map of the Lake District Mining Field, Westmorland, Cumberland, Lancashire, scale about 5 miles to 1 inch, by John Postlethwaite, published by W H Moss and Sons, 13 Lowther Street, Whitehaven, Cumberland, 1877 edn 1913.
image
PST2NY23.jpg
"Silvergill Mine"
mine symbol 
item:-  JandMN : 162.2
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   visit log:- KDMRS 1979-82
placename:-  Roughton Gill Mines
item:-  agate; malachite; brochanite; copper pyrites; pyromorphite; azurite
source data:-   Notes, log book of Geological Outings, mine plans, etc, Kendal and District Mine Research Society, Kendal area, Cumbria, etc, visits made 1979-82.
Geological Outing of the Kendal and District Mine Research Society 
Log book page 15:-  "DATE - 27/5/79 SUNDAY. / MAP REF - (SHEET 33) 3025/3450 / LOCATION - ROUGHTON GILL CALDBECK / NAME - ROUGHTON GILL MINES / TYPE OF SITE - MINES. / WORKING OR DISUSED - DISUSED / PEOPLE IN PARTY [ ] / NOS. OF PHOTOS - 13 / SPECIMENS FOUND - PIECES OF AGATE, MALACHITE BROCHANITE, COPPER PYRITES, PYROMORPHITE AND AZURITE. / COMMENTS - SHOWERY DAY, BUT WARM. NO LEVELS OPEN TO ENTER. VERY INTERESTING AREA."
item:-  private collection : 82
Image © see bottom of page
:-  
 Group of mines on the Caldbeck Fells, worked by the Company of Mines Royal, late 16th century. A smelting work was installed here 1794. Worked up to 1870s. It was later a source of umber and other pigments.
Silver Gill Vein; Dobson's Vein; Roughton Gill North Vein; Great South Roughton Gill Lode. Ores of lead, copper and zinc, some silver: chalcopyrite, copper iron sulphide, CuFeS2; galena, lead sulphide, PbS.
Famous for unusual and colourful minerals, decomposition products of sulphide ores.

: 2015 (?): Mines in Cumbria: Cumbria RIGS
Adams, John: 1988: Mines of the Lake District Fells: Dalesman Books (Lancaster, Lancashire):: ISBN 0 85206 931 6
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