Starbotton Mines

Overview

Small lead workings on Starbotton Cam in Upper Wharfedale, worked from shallow shafts from the early eighteenth century and by a handful of levels between the 1820s and 1877, with a smelt mill beside Cam Gill Beck from 1843 to 1862.

History

The lead mines on Starbotton Cam, above the village in Upper Wharfedale, were at work in the early years of the eighteenth century and carried on in a small way from shallow shafts into the nineteenth, worked by groups of local men. None of the workings on this side of the valley was a large producer. In the early 1820s three short levels were driven from the head of Cam Gill into the southern end of the Gavel veins and found some ore. In the 1840s Cam Level was driven from Springs Wood to try the veins on the Cam at depth, and found very little; it is recorded as worked from 1840 to 1877. The short Gentlewoman Level was worked from 1847 to 1872 and Cam Scar Level from 1860 to 1868, and at one time it was proposed to run the flue from the Kettlewell smelt mill through part of Cam Scar Level. In expectation of more ore, a smelt mill was built beside Cam Gill Beck in 1843, with a single reverberatory furnace whose flue ran up to a chimney on the hillside behind the village; it closed in 1862. Across the valley the veins of Moor End Fell, crossing from the Kettlewell liberty, were the more productive, and were worked as New Providence until the late 1870s.

Geology

Carboniferous rocks of Upper Wharfedale cut by lead veins, including the southern end of the Gavel veins on Starbotton Cam.

Workings

Shallow shafts; three short levels from the head of Cam Gill (early 1820s); Cam or Springs Wood Level (1840-77); Gentlewoman Level (1847-72); Cam Scar Level (1860-68); a smelt mill on Cam Gill Beck (1843-62) with a flue to a hillside chimney.

Closure

Cam Level, the last of the workings on the Cam, was worked until 1877; the smelt mill closed in 1862.

What remains

At one of the levels only a waste tip and a small shelter remain, with no portal visible.

Waste tips, shallow shaft workings and level sites on the Cam.

Redevelopment

Unknown.

Related mines

• New Providence Lead Mine — NMRS's Starbotton Mines account includes the Moor End Fell veins later worked as New Providence (Starbotton Moorend Mine); the New Providence record has its first ore sent to the smeltmill at Starbotton.

Recorded claims

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

• The mines on Starbotton Cam were working in the early eighteenth century and continued in a small way from shallow shafts into the nineteenth. ^1,2
• In the early 1820s three short levels were driven from the head of Cam Gill into the southern end of the Gavel veins. ²
• Cam Level, driven from Springs Wood in the 1840s to try the veins in depth, found very little ore; it was worked from 1840 to 1877. ^1,2
• A smelt mill with one reverberatory furnace was built beside Cam Gill Beck in 1843 and closed in 1862. ²
• Gentlewoman Level was worked from 1847 to 1872 and Cam Scar Level from 1860 to 1868. ¹

Sources

1. (observational) Mines 58 - Starbotton Lead Mines (Yorkshire, 2025) — 28DaysLater Urban Exploring Forums
2. (secondary) Starbotton Mines — Northern Mine Research Society
3. (primary) BGS mine plans: Springs Wood Level, Starbotton Moor End Mine — British Geological Survey / Mining Remediation Authority

Record created: 16 October 2026 · Last researched: 16 October 2026