Middle Level Lead Mine Timber Store – a lead mining timber yard at Daddry Shield

Middle Level Lead Mine Timber Store is a historic timber store built in 1869 at Daddry Shield, near Greenlaws, in the civil parish of Stanhope, County Durham, northern England. It is a surviving piece of the lead industry that shaped the landscape of Weardale for centuries.

What is it?

The structure is a rectangular enclosure of sandstone rubble about four metres high. It was built in 1869 for the Blackett-Beaumont Lead Mining Company. Underground mines relied on timber to prop up levels and workings, so a secure place to keep it close to the mine entrance was essential.

Historic England listed the building at Grade II on 5 June 1987. That is the third tier of the national scale, covering buildings judged nationally important and worth protecting.

Part of a larger mining complex

The timber store does not stand alone. Historic England records several other listed structures connected to the Middle Level mine, including:

• a water race with steps and a retaining wall at the dressing floor,
• the North Bouse Teams building, where ore was stored in bays,
• the former Middle Level Mine Shop.

Together they form Middle Greenlaws Level, an 18th and 19th century lead mine and ore works designated a Scheduled Monument. The mine was first owned by the Blackett-Beaumont company and passed to the Weardale Lead Company late in the 19th century.

Condition

Historic England places the site on its Heritage at Risk register, rated "very bad" and priority category A. Extensive flood damage and erosion are the cause. A conservation management plan exists, but funding for repairs has not yet been identified.

Frequently asked questions

Can I walk there?

The footpath and track passing through Middle Greenlaws Level are a public right of way. Most of the remains further up the Daddry Shield burn are not. Local guidance suggests asking the farm landowner for permission before leaving the public route.

What should I know before going?

Because of the poor condition of the structures and the risk of collapse, take care, do not climb on the ruins and do not remove stonework. The area is remote and upland, so wear sturdy footwear and check the weather.

Who is it for?

Industrial history enthusiasts, photographers and walkers in the North Pennines. There are no visitor facilities; this is a raw, authentic trace of the lead miners' work.

Where exactly is it?

Roughly 54.7277 N, 2.1743 W, near the town of Stanhope in County Durham.

Why it matters

Lead from Weardale was a major resource for the region for centuries, and this 1869 timber store shows the support infrastructure without which a mine could not run. The building itself is modest, but alongside the water race, dressing floor and ancillary buildings it gives a readable picture of how a nineteenth-century mine was organised. Because the site is at risk, it is worth knowing about while it survives in its present form.