Description and History of Site:-
Calamine was found in these naturally formed caverns within the Gordale Limestone. Instead of a hard substance requiring mining to break it out, the calamine within these caverns lay on their floors at a depth of 3 to 6 feet (0.9-1.8m) as a loose deposit. Calamine, a combination of zinc oxide and ferric oxide was used in the production of Calamine Brass, a method of brass production since Roman times, where copper was smelted with calamine, before new smelting techniques were introduced into Britain from the mid 18th century which alloyed metallic zinc to copper. Besides brass smelting calamine was used in areas of medicinal treatment such as healing skin conditions, also finding use in the calico printing industry in later years. In 1788 The Lord of Malham and Malham Moor, 1st Baron Ribblesdale, Thomas Lister granted George Tenant, Thomas Miller and Marmaduke Proctor ''for the use of getting calamine within the Manors of Malham and Malham Moor after the rate of 5 shillings per ton for 100 tons, for any other weight Thomas Lister Esq. to agree with the above persons''. By 1792 calamine was being raised from Pikedaw Head by the partnership, probably using the 'Old Calamine Shaft' near Pikedaw Gate. The shaft was either an old copper mine shaft reopened or a natural pothole being enlarged to a depth of 8 fathoms (14.6m). The floor of the passageway continued for 11 yards (10m) giving access to The Great Shake and Mitchell's Cavern, the crawl being enlarged in height to 1 yard (0.9m). Calamine was worked from these caverns and associated passages for the next 16 years before new caverns were broken into, the mineral being manhandled to the foot of the shaft during this period.
Some preliminary dressing was done near the mine using the stream from Kirkby Fell and The Great Shake's pothole was puddled to prevent water entering the caverns and forming a large pond for the dressing process. A calamine works was established on the east bank of Malham Beck in the village but would be replaced by the smelting house at Town Head.
The newer zinc smelting house was built at Town Head, Malham village in 1794, now known as Calamine House, to enable calamine to be calcined in a furnace prior to transportation of the mineral to the Leeds Liverpool Canal wharf at Gargrave. At this time the mines were not leased and so were worked by Thomas Lister who was in correspondence with Thomas Patten & Co, brass makers of Cheadle in Staffordshire. However due to the French Revolutionary wars disrupting continental trade, the brass industry contracted and it wasn't until 1802 that The Cheadle Brass Wire Co were in a position to purchase calamine. They sent 500 bags to Malham for the transport of the calamine and would arrange transport when 50 to 100 tons were ready. Regular shipments continued through 1803-4.
Around 1805 miners broke through into new caverns from the old ground exposing a new supply of calamine. A new shaft was planned because of the torturous access into the old caverns and would sink directly into Cavern 44, however because of difficulties surveying the position required from the surface the 12.5 fathom (23m) shaft was not completed until July/August 1806. A horse whim was used for winding at the new shaft and a wagon road built linking Cavern 44 to the old ground, some 35 fathoms (64m) long along the caverns floor.
Production records from the mine are scarce and vary as to either the quantity mined or the quantity calcined being recorded. Dr. Arthur Raistrick estimated approximately 5000 tons were raised during the mines working period between 1788 and the 1840's. In 1811 268 tons of calamine was calcined at Malham, in 1812 235 tons were sent from the mine to the Calamine House, in 1813 313 tons were raised. The shipments were being sent to Gargrave canal wharf and onwards to Cheadle Brass & Co and Patten Brass Wire Co. By 1816 production had dropped to 183 tons using 8 miners and 3 assistants. In 1823 one ton of calamine was sent for a trial in calico printing to E.P. Thompson & Co of Bank Top, Manchester. The trial must have been successful as they paid £237 for 22 tons of calamine between April and August 1824.
The mines account books show the mine working until 1833 with just one or two men employed. Thompson's and another calico printer F. Steiner & Co of Church near Accrington, Lancashire took further deliveries between 1825-7, there were no sales to brass makers as zinc was being produced from blende (sphalerite). The Malham Mining Co was active in the 1840's and included calamine in the minerals that it worked but the quantity raised is unknown.

Further Reading and References:-
British Mining No 97, Northern Mine Research Society, The Malham Mines, Mike Gill and Mike Squirrell pp38-53

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Key Words :- calamine mine

Viewing the Site :- Public footpaths

Address :- Kirkby Malham, North Yorkshire
Grid Ref :- SD 87395 64018
Co-ordinates :- Lat 54.071937 , Long -2.194116
Local Authority :- Craven District Council
Pre 1974 County :- Yorkshire - West Riding
Site Status :- Site extant - Protected status unknown
Site Condition :- Earthworks only
Site Dates :- 1788 - 1840's
Record Date :- 22 December 2021

Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © Andrew Garford