New Providence Lead Mine

Overview

A Wharfedale lead working near Moor End, founded around 1820 by men from the older Providence Mine across the valley in Dowber Gill, and worked in its own right from 1858 to 1880.

History

New Providence -- also recorded as Starbotton Moorend Mine or Wharfedale Mine -- lies 350 metres south of Moor End, north-west of Kettlewell, on the opposite side of the valley from the older Providence (later Old Providence) Mine in Dowber Gill. It is thought to have been started around 1820 by men from that older mine, striking out on their own ground; the first parcel of ore from the new workings was sent to the smeltmill at Starbotton in 1821. The mine's main shaft was sunk before 1859, and the site was worked in earnest from 1858 to 1880, reaching an output of around 40 tons a year by 1858 and a total production over the second half of the 19th century of around 1,000 tons of lead concentrate.

Workings

Scheduled earthworks include rake and shallow hush workings with associated water-management features, the ruins of an ore works, and a series of shafts with large spoil heaps; the main shaft was sunk before 1859. A lower drainage tunnel, Charleton's Level, was begun in 1868 but was never completed and has since collapsed.

Closure

Worked from 1858 to 1880, after an initial trial phase from around 1820.

What remains

A 2025 exploration report found the site mostly ruined, with water-wheel pits for shaft winding and ore processing, an ore bin and crusher equipment surviving as surface remains; no accessible underground passages were found, Charleton's Level having collapsed.

Related mines

• Providence Mine — New Providence was founded around 1820 by men from this mine, striking out on their own ground across the valley.

Abandoned workings can be dangerous — unstable ground, uncapped shafts, flooding and bad air are common even where a site looks safe from the surface. This entry describes history and general location only; it is not an access guide.

Recorded claims

Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.

• New Providence is thought to have been started around 1820 by men from the older Providence Mine in Dowber Gill; the first ore parcel was sent to Starbotton smeltmill in 1821. ¹
• The mine's main shaft was sunk before 1859; worked 1858-1880, it produced around 40 tons a year by 1858 and a total of around 1,000 tons of lead concentrate over the second half of the 19th century. ^1,2
• A lower drainage tunnel, Charleton's Level, was begun in 1868 but never completed and has since collapsed. ³

Sources

1. (primary) New Providence lead mine and ore works, 350m south of Moor End — Ancient Monuments (Scheduled Monument record, mirroring Historic England)
2. (secondary) Starbotton Moorend Mine (New Providence Mine; Wharfedale Mine) — mindat.org
3. (observational) Mines 58 - Starbotton Lead Mines (Yorkshire, 2025) — 28DaysLater Urban Exploring Forums

Record created: 1 September 2026 · Last researched: 1 September 2026