Cockersdale watercourses and mills

[jim]

Si, Tilly took a camera and shot a respectable number of photos. I'm not sure if he intends to upload them.The old mineral railway to Bowling Iron Works appears on OS maps I have for 1894, 1903, and 1908/11. It does not appear on my 1925 OS map, but surprisingly does appear on my mother's Bartholomew half-inch Wharfedale map,which, though undated bears a "by appointment to the late King George Vth" credit which makes it late 1930s.Tyke Bhoy, how could I be offended by overwhelming technological supremacy? I stand in awe and prostrate myself (difficult, but with gritted teeth it can be done) at your feet and worship. My missus asks if I'm going to put any grovelling in, but after careful consideration I've decided to let it stand.

[tilly]

Hi Si on google earth im sorry to say trees are in the way of the old track but i can tell you were it is.If you put in Pudsey Leeds find Fulneck follow Dyehouse Lane down to the golf course you will see four bunkers to the left just in front of them are some trees.I think you will know were i mean Si you comeing from this area its were the metal bridge crosses the beck to take you up Keeper Lane just a few yards from the bridge you walk between two stone walls with an embankment on either side. Any one can tell even now that a bridge went over the path at this point.I must thank jim for the very interesting few hours we had together knowing what you are looking for makes all the difference and jim knows what to look for.At least i could talk about a few things when we walked along the valley at Fulneck my neck of the woods no pun intended.Ps I took one or two pictures but im about as good has jim with a computer.    

[tilly]

PICTURES here goes sorry pictures too big for server at least i got that far. lol Ps the pictures are 2.23mb AT LAST YEE HAR.

[tilly]

Try again i got the pictures to the right size went through all the stages pressed finish no picture.I was so pleased with myself for re sizeing my pictures now im down to earth with a bang.

[grumpytramp]

Jim You might be interested in the English Heritage commentary on the Lower Mill in Cockersdale (down stream of the bottom of Mill Lane) at their Pastscape website:http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?ho ... c=Monument reference: 903866 Council British Archaeology CBA Forum : the annual newsletter of CBA Group 4 page 80 wrote: SE 232 304 - SE 237 309. Cockersdale Valley.`S Moorhouse reports that the intact water works of the now abandoned Low Mill survive along the Cockersdale Valley. A well preserved sluice formed by two internally stone-revetted banks lies on the western bank of the Tong Beck. Its southern junction with the sluice appears to issue into two large ponds dammed across the Cockersdale Valley. The mill site, including the wheel pit, is remarkably well preserved as earthworks to the west of the bank at SE 2355 3075. The 18th century mill almost certainly utilised the existing water system for a well documented early 15th century iron working site on the Tong side of the stream. Iron slag and charcoal dust lies on the surface of the area SE 2325 3023 between the sluice and the stream. Possibly associated shallow platforms and banked enclosures lie at SE 2320 3030'. This is typical of the artisan medieval iron workings smelting locally iron ore from the Black Band seam using locally won charcoal to supply medeval forges (such as those at Kirkstall Abbey) and very similar to the medieval iron working at Seacroft.    

[jim]

Brilliant stuff, Grumpytramp. It's absolutely great to find that ideas reached by idle speculation are backed up by serious research. It's also gratifying that my thoughts on an iron-working connection are valid, and to find out how far back the site is thought to go is a bonus. The report on the remains agrees exactly with what Tilly and I observed and noted. For the seekers of comedy, I can say without fear of contradiction that the mapmakers on the English Heritage have managed to place their teardrop-shaped marker slightly downstream (ie, north) of my posited Upper Mill site, rather than half the distance to Tong Lane away where Low mill actually was!Thanks to Grumpytramp for researching documented material, a pastime for which I haven't the patience or the time, I'm far too busy playing inquisitive little lads in-between building the next "den"!

[jim]

Oops again. Edit - we have a large rubber to help tidy up Jim - easily done mate.Our Grumpy is ....rather good at thid isn't he Chameleon    

[chameleon]

tilly wrote: Try again i got the pictures to the right size went through all the stages pressed finish no picture.I was so pleased with myself for re sizeing my pictures now im down to earth with a bang. Tilly - are you using IE7/8 or another browser?

[Si]

jim wrote: The old mineral railway to Bowling Iron Works appears on OS maps I have for 1894, 1903, and 1908/11. It does not appear on my 1925 OS map, but surprisingly does appear on my mother's Bartholomew half-inch Wharfedale map,which, though undated bears a "by appointment to the late King George Vth" credit which makes it late 1930s. Thanks Jim. Unfortunately, I don't have any of those maps. Please don't attempt to post them on here, as personal experience testifies that if you're lacking computer skills (like me) it turns your brain into oatmeal. Yes, the map-marker is in the wrong place.It's good to see all your initial questions answered in so much detail.     

[tilly]

chameleon wrote: tilly wrote: Try again i got the pictures to the right size went through all the stages pressed finish no picture.I was so pleased with myself for re sizeing my pictures now im down to earth with a bang. Tilly - are you using IE7/8 or another browser? Hi chameleon sorry to say this but i dont know my laptop is Windows Vista my search engine is Google Chrome. And with a computer im not at home. lol