Yorkshire Dales Mining Museum

The Old Grammar School or Robert Windle's Free School is one of the oldest and most interesting buildings in Earby, founded by Robert Windle about 1594 in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.  It existed as a school until 1910, after many different uses it eventually became empty in 1970.  The Robert Windle Foundation Trustees then kindly offered the use of the building, at a peppercorn rent, as a museum to Earby Mines Research Group.  The building has been completely renovated, providing more display space, kitchen facilities and disabled access.

The New Level arch, removed from Faggergill, Arkengarthdale, after vandalism, forms the entrance to a reconstructed horse level with Dales Pony "Kexwith Bess" drawing out a rake of three wagons.  Upstairs pickmen are working a lead vein and filling the ore into small cars known as durk wagons to be tipped into an orepass feeding a hopper in the horse level below.
As well as the tableaux there are comprehensive and unique displays of tools, photographs and memorabilia illustrating the mining, dressing and smelting of lead ore.  All the processes are simply described on professionally produced storyboards.

More unusual items includea steel hook and socket worn by a Grassington miner who lost his hand, and the possessions found on the body of a long-dead adventurer discovered in Buckden Gaven Mine in 1964.

Earby is a small town on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales.  Although it is not directly connected with lead mining some lead miners came to this area to work in the coalmines and cotton mills when the mines in the Dales were closing down.  The nearest lead mine to Earby is at Cononley a few miles away where restoration work has been going on since 1967.  At Grassington Moor can be seen smelt chimney flues and other mining related structures, there are walking trails around the site.  Park at Yarnbury or walk from Grassington village (Os Map Ref: SE012659)

At both these sites after the mining of lead ceased the mines were reworked for barite.

Lead is not the only material mined in the Yorkshire Dales, stone slates for roofing and stone flags for floors have been mined in the Dales.  Chert was mined in Swaledale and Arkengarthdale, and coal in many parts of the county.  They are remembered in a feature displaying slate quarrying tools and several photographs.