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Begun in 1796 this level was designed
to provide natural drainage for the mines on Grassington Moor. Originally
intended as an underground canal, this level was driven nine feet high
by five feet wide and it was hoped that when it reached the veins that
boats could be used to remove ore and waste rock.
Progress was painfully slow and this idea was abandoned after 1520m, it was then resumed at the more usual dimensions of six feet by four feet. This did speed up its progress a little but due to the hard nature of the rock the major shafts on the moor were not drained by the level until after 1830. A branch of the level known as the Black Drift provided drainage for the Yarnbury mines. The level is now used as a water supply. |