The Mining Industry in the Huddersfield District
By D. A. Wray

MEDIAEVAL IRONSTONE MINING

In the twelfth century there are many evidences of recovery, and the earliest documentary evidence of any mining or smelting in the area, or indeed within the whole county, relates to the ventures of the various religious houses. Wood and peat were still being used as fuel, for coal is never alluded to; while the mineral that first attracted attention was the bedded clay ironstone which occurs at several horizons in the Coal Measures of the district. Of these by far the most important is the so-called Tankersley Ironstone, the outcrop of which can readily be traced southwards from Thornhill past Overton, Flockton, and Emley to High Hoyland and Cawthorne. Less important horizons which were also worked in the Middle Ages were the bands of nodular ironstone which occur in the shales overlying the Halifax Hard Bed coal, and also above the 36-yards coal and fireclay. The highly important seam of ironstone known in the Low Moor district as the Black Bed ironstone covers a small area between Rastrick and Colnebridge. South of these places it dies away and is replaced by a bed of sandstone. Similarly the Claywood Ironstone which occurs in the shales above the Silkstone Coal in the Sheffield district, and was formerly there of economic importance is practically unrepresented. Ironstone nodules do occur sporadically on this horizon in places, but they have never been worked in this district for iron-ore.

Mediaeval Ironstone Workings at Bentley Grange, Emley

The Tankersley Ironstone usually occurs at a distance of from ten to twenty –five feet above the Flockton Coal, and it has been worked in many places along its outcrop from the neighbourhood of Ardsley as far south as Sheffield. It thickness is very variable, being on an average about one foot, in three distinct bands; and occurring in about six feet of shale. The yield is stated to have been from 2,000 to3,400 tons per acre.* (see below) It is generally so crowded with Carbonicola shell casts as to be familiarly known as "Mussel Shell Ironstone." No published analyses appear to be in existence, but owing to the abundance of shell casts it probably has a high lime content.

As far as the meager records are available it would appear that the working of ironstone by the monasteries and religious orders began about the twelfth century; but it is by no means certain that the monks were introducing an entirely new industry into the district. Such a conclusion is simply based on the entire absence of any record of activities on the part of the lay landowners. In the first place the iron-ore was mined by the religious houses for use in their own establishments; they held extensive agricultural estates, and the sale of iron subsequently resulted from their enterprising developments. In the middle of the twelfth century iron-ore was being extensively mined in this district by the monks from Fountains, Rievaulx dates from 1131, and within twenty-five years of its foundation the monks were working the Tankersley Ironstone at Flockton. From the Chartularies or ancient records of Rievaulx Abbey, we learn that Adam Fitz-Piers among other bequests to the monastery, granted fifteen acres of land in a place known as Blakeker so that the brethren might erect a forge for the making of iron, and forging therefrom the many implements necessary for the monastic house.*1 (see below)The exact site of Blakeker is uncertain, but it is further recorded that the bequest included all the iron-ore, and also the dead-wood necessary for the making of charcoal in Shitlington and Flockton, so that the site of the ancient bloomery was probably quite close to the modern village of Overton.

Mediaeval Ironstone Bell Pits at Bentley Springs, Emley

The Byland Abbey monks on the other hand were already working somewhat extensively along the outcrop or basset edge of the Tankersley Ironstone at Emley, and in the latter half of the twelfth century Jordan de Flockton granted to them wayleave from Denby to Bentley, where their forge was situate. Bentley is one mile east of Emley, while Denby lies two miles to the north, and it would thus be necessary to cross the concession already held by Rievaulx Abbey. Thus while the industry was still in its infancy the two religious houses found themselves in active competition, and in 1171 it became necessary to draft an agreement as to their respective spheres of operations. Under this arrangement the Byland Abbey monks were to enjoy exclusive rights both as to ore and charcoal in Emley, Bretton, and that part of Shitlington now known as Midgley; while their brethren from Rievaulx were to retain similar rights in Flockton, Hreprouda, and those portions of the ancient parish of Shitlington now known as Overton and Middlestown.

The land around Emley at this period was in the possession of the Fitzwilliam family; the Fitzwilliams of Emley being descendants of William Fitz-Godric, cousin to King Edward the Confessor. In 1217 Sir William Fitzwilliam, described under his seal as 'Domini de Emmalaia,' leased a further extensive area for the purpose of mining iron-ore between Bentley Grange and Emley to the monks of Byland Abbey.

The ironstone worked by the monks of Fountains Abbey came from several lower geological horizons. At Colnebridge the Black End Ironstone was mined, while at Ainleys, to the south of Elland the ironstone worked occurred as irregular bands in the shales overlying the Halifax Hard Bed and 36-Yard Coals. It is also recorded that the monks of Fountains Abbey possessed a forge in the vicinity of Colnebridge and that Ralf Fitz Nicholas of Cridling, gave them in his wood at Bradley all the deadwood required for their smelting, and for charcoal, and whatever iron-ore they could find.*2 (see below)

* ‘The Iron Ores of Great Britain.’ Part 1., Memoirs of the Geological Survey of Great Britain, 1856.
*1 Vellacott, C.H., in ‘Medieval Mining and Smelting.’ Victoria County History of Yorkshire, London, 1912, Vol. II., gives a very comprehensive list of bibliographical references.
*2 Chartulaires of Fountain Abbey. Full references given by Mr. C. H. Vellacott in his article quoted above.

© Copyright of Kirklees Museums and Galleries