Bridges On The Wear

KILLHOPE MINE BRIDGE

Killhope is developing all the time. The huge water wheel which is 33 feet 6 inches high and once powered a crushing mill is again turning and producing a nostalgic grinding, squeaking and splashing sound.

Discovering County Durham. Ron and Marlene Freetly. 1994.

The North Pennines near the point where Durham, Northumberland and Cumbria meet were once the scene of extensive lead mining operations. Most mining ended in the late 19th century but there is still much evidence dotted around the moors and dales. This mine, the Park Level Mine at Killhope operated from 1853 to about 1910, reopening briefly during the First World War. Now Killhope Mine has been restored (further restoration is still taking place) and is the finest example of a lead mine in the U.K.

The bridge is part of that restoration and carries a roadway from the main A689 road onto the site. The river is narrow and rocky at this point and a short distance away is the entrance to the mine site reached over a ford in the river shown below. Other views of the mine are also shown.


 Killhope Mine Bridge Facts


Constructed - not known
Type - beam, wood, stone abutments.
Position: Killhope, County Durham.
Grid Ref: NY 826 431
 Killhope Mine Bridge



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