Exploring the Wonders of Killhope Lead Mining Museum
2024-09-05
Killhope is a well-known industrial museum in County Durham. It is situated alongside Killhope Burn and is 16 kilometres from Alston and 12 kilometres from Lovelady Shield Hotel. Located at the heart of the North Pennines, it is also pretty close to the Pennine Way walking trail.
The museum is open every day except during the winter, when weather conditions make transportation difficult. As of now, however, the museum is closed due to some maintenance. Read on to learn more about the Killhope Lead Mining Museum.
A Step Back in Time
Killhope Lead Mining Museum offers a captivating journey into the past. The museum was established in 1984, when Park Level Mine was facing demolition after being out of use for many years.
Park Level Mine was developed in 1853 to intersect mineral veins in the area and excavate lead ore. To accommodate the miners in the area, mineshops were built, and thus the surface of the mines also saw some development. W B Lead, who was managing the mines, stopped operation in 1883. Another company continued the operation until it was stopped in 1910.
After the First World War, Park Level Mine was completely out of use and more or less abandoned. A series of restorations happened in the 1980s under the guidance of the Durham County Council and improved the conditions of the mine and several important structures, such as Killhope Wheel and the minshops.