Hidden at the edge of a field alongside the Rail Trail is the site of Esk Valley mine, also known as Holme House Mine. A small scale ironstone mining site.
This relatively small scale operation is a good example of a Victorian vision to create a self-sustaining community around an industrial facility. Two terraces of miners' cottages, a mine manager’s house, small chapel and group of craftsmen’s houses can all still be seen today. Unlike many ironstone mines which were drift mines (worked horizontally in from a hillside), Esk Valley was a deep mine where a shaft was dug 60m straight down to the ironstone seam and the ore hauled up using a steam engine. The remains of the engine base and bo...