Coniston Copper Interpretation Panels and Printed Materials

Coniston Copper Interpretation Panels and Printed Materials

Introduction and background to the project

The ‘Coniston Copper’ project was developed to conserve mining heritage in the project area and to provide improved opportunities for interpretation, learning and participation. We have received a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant of £455,000 to realise the project aims:

1. Conserve the remains of Coniston Copper Mines and Penny Rigg Copper Mill, comprising over 150 discrete items of physical repair/stabilisation/reconstruction across ten different structures at the two sites.
2. Help people learn about, engage with and take part in the Coniston copper mining heritage.
3. Contribute to the visitor offer in Coniston.
4. Provide people with the opportunity to learn new heritage-related skills.
5. Provide opportunities for the local community to engage with and learn about the heritage on its doorstep.
6. Build sustainable partnerships between local organisations to create a holistic visitor experience and benefit the local community.
7. Improve knowledge and understanding of Coniston copper mining heritage through archaeological work and collating information on collections.
The project is a partnership between Lake District National Park, land owners, Grizedale Arts, YHA Coniston, Ruskin Museum and Cumbria Amenity Trust Mining History Society.

The project began in April 2016 and will continue until March 2018.

Copper extraction at Coniston dates back 400 years to the time of Queen Elizabeth I. She introduced German workers in the 16th century when mining flourished here. Copper was important to emerging industries, it was used to make weapons and coins and the copper-bottomed ships of the Royal Navy were a closely-guarded secret for hundreds of years.
The Coniston Copper sites comprise a suite of mines, associated structures and ore processing mills in two areas covering a total of 57 hectares between 150 and 350 metres above sea level. Coppermines Valley is a valley on the Coniston Fells, west of Coniston Village between the Old Man of Coniston and Yewdale Fells. A second site, Penny Rigg Copper Mill and Quarry, processed ores from mines on Furness and Yewdales Fells. Features at this site represent all the major stages of ore processing. Extensive remains of adits, shafts, water wheel pits and associated mining, ore processing and transport structures survive at both sites.

Coniston copper continued to be mined in various forms until the 1950s. The Coniston Copper Mines cover a spectacular 57-hectare site above Coniston Water. They are protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument but are at risk of continuing decline and dereliction.