Tourist Guide Video Of Killhope Lead Mine

Durham Museum For Victorian Lead Mine, Durham Dales.

Killhope Lead Mining Museum, The North of England Mining Museum has always provided an excellent environment to inspire and enrich learning about the Victorians. The site offers unique opportunities to discover more about the working conditions and family lives of men, women and children in the North Pennines in the nineteenth century Leadmining industry.

A visit to Killhope, the North of England Lead Mining Museum, is a unique and unforgettable experience. Killhope is a fully restored nineteenth century Leadmine, where you experience for yourself the life and work of the lead mining families of the North Pennines.

Our enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff, which make Killhope winner of the Family Friendly Museum of the Year, Most Welcoming Experience and Outstanding Customer Service Siver Award, will make sure you get the most from your visit. Killhope is famous for its huge working waterwheel, but there is much more to Killhope than a waterwheel. You experience the "mineshop" where miners lived for the week and slept three and four to a bed. You work as a "washerboy" separating lead ore from waste. But above all, Killhope's award-winning mine tour is unique. It is a living museum in the Durham Dales.

There’s so much to see and do at Killhope Lead Mining Museum...

Killhope, The North of England Lead Mining Museum, lies high up in the stunning North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Experience breathtaking scenery, underground adventure, fascinating lead mining history, beautiful woodland walks and amazing wildlife. Winner of Family Friendly Museum of the Year 2004, North East Tourism Awards - Most Welcoming Experience 2005 and Outstanding Customer Service Silver Award 2006, all in Weardale.

North Pennines Lead Mining

The Pennine lead mining industry collapsed about a hundred and twenty years ago. Before that the moors and dales of the North Pennines echoed to the sound of the lead mining industry. Park Level Mine at Killhope was one of many mines in the North Pennine dales. The mine was started in 1853 and closed about 1910, reopening briefly during the First World War. For a few short years in the 1870s, the mine at Killhope was one of the richest in the whole of Britain. To help separate out the lead ore from waste, Park Level Mill with its giant waterwheel was built at Killhope in the late 1870s. At the time this waterwheel was one of many in the area - now it is the only one surviving.

Restoration of Killhope started in 1980, and today Killhope is the most complete lead mining site in Britain. Restoration of the machinery is continuing. Today there is much to be explored of the fascinating legacy left behind. You can visit Allenheads Heritage Centre and Nenthead Mines, both near Killhope. The Lead Mining Trail (leaflet available) makes a good walk across high moorland past numerous lead mining remains.

Killhope also has a shop and a cafe, Offering a wonderful choice of home-made food, you can call in for lunch or just a relaxing cuppa. Killhope's shop has an array of gifts, souvenirs and books, suitable for all pockets. You can just pop in and have a look around.