Hello Ian

glad to learn that an extensive book on this fascinating topic is available!

My wife and I use to spend our holidays near Gayle in the Wensleydale since
many years, and I occasionally used the opportunity to visit several
mining sites in the area. So some background information would be wonderful.

If it is not too much trouble for you, I would highly appreciate,
if you could send me a copy to

Harald Finster
Gulpener Str. 26
52074 Aachen
Germany

Alternatively, I would gladly pick up a copy during my next visit
to the Yorkshire Dales - probably in September. 


All the best 

Harald 


> Gesendet: Donnerstag, 24. Juli 2014 um 11:47 Uhr
> Von: "Ian Spensley" <[log in to unmask]>
> An: [log in to unmask]
> Betreff: [mining-history] Mines and Miners of Wensleydale
>
> I'm pleased to say that I've finally had my book printed.
> 
> 
> Mines and Miners of Wensleydale price £15 plus £4 post and package in the UK. Abroad I've only priced to Canada at the moment and that is £15.75 just for PP.
> 
> 
> It is A4 format. 330 pages 8 pages colour.
> 178 pictures and plans.
> 
> 
> It contains the full history of lead, zinc, barytes, coal, stone mining and a brief section on opencast limestone and freestone quarrying.
> There is a 40 page section on Social History from the sixteenth century to the end of the nineteenth.
> 
> 
> In the wider context, I have discussed the history of mining in the dale as effected by not only mining in the surrounding dales but on a national and international basis. The history of coal mining has turned out to be one of the most interesting subjects, Preston Moor Colliery at the end of the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries was a major producer, nearly matching those in South Durham.
> 
> 
> Many anecdotes are included, such as Lord Scrope having Thomas Rudd locked up in York Castle gaol for non payment of of the £400 annual rental of Preston Moor Colliery in  the 1620's, when Rudd moved his family in with him Scrope wanted to move him to the Marshalsea in London. Echos of Little Dorit.
> 
> 
> William Waller (the "viper in the nest" of the Mine Adventures of England) also turns up at Cotterdale Colliery where he systematically ruined Ewan Waller in 1691.
> 
> 
> The history of the flag (sandstone slates) quarries led me to looking at local architecture.
> 
> 
> Coal mining played an important part of the local limestone quarrying and lime burning. This connection led naturally through to quarrying limestone for steel making as well as road building.
> 
> 
> Thanks to a thesis by Coles, I have been able to bring to light much of the history of lead mining in the fifteenth century not only in Wensleydale but also in Swaledale and Arkengarthdale in particular.
> 
> 
> One of the earliest legal cases to come to light was one 1371 when a number of miners were unlucky enough to get on the wrong side of Henry Percy at the Bishopdale/Buckden Gavel Mine.
> 
> 
> Regards
> Ian Spensley
> Aumonds Lear
> Redmire
> Leyburn
> N. Yorks
> DL8 4EQ
> 
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