Exploited rich copper and lead veins. In the 1560s, it earned the nickname ‘Gottesgab’ (God’s Gift) from German miners, and its English name is believed to be a derivation of this rather than a reference to gold. The mine’s workings are extensive, and despite centuries of intermittent operation, a significant discovery known as the ‘Great Lead Bunch’ was made in 1854 at the intersection of the Copper vein and the Goldscope lead vein. This discovery led to twelve prosperous years for the mine. The mine dumps have yielded various minerals including chalcopyrite, anglesite, cerussite crystals, chrysocolla, pyromorphite, and linarite.
May have been worked smaller scale prior to arrival of the German miners.
| Year | Activity |
|---|---|
| 1564 | Large scale working by German miners working for the Company of Mines Royal. |
| 1568 | Landowner - Thomas Percy, Earl of Northumberland objected to mining, but lost a court case against the Crown. After continued dispute including armed rebellion, Percy subsequently executed. |
| 1593 | Mine down to 30 fm below adit, internal water-wheel installed. |
| c1595 | More plentiful copper discovery at Coniston at this time leads to mine being virtually abandoned. |
| c1680 | Re-opened by David Davies, who found mine in good repair and raised lead and copper. |
| 1697 | Taken over by Thomas Robinson, rector of Ousby. Mine in financial difficulty within 5 years. |
| 18C | Little mining activity. |
| 1819 | John Tebay from Whitehaven takes lease of Brandlehow and Goldscope, the former being his main interest. |
| 1835 | Tebay (having lost money at Brandlehow) allows Isaac Sealby & James Read to drive Lead Work Adit, raising a modest 20 tons of lead ore. |
| 1847 | Mine taken over by Messrs. Clemence, Bowden & Floyd who worked the Copper Adit, raising 50 tons of copper ore from 40m below adit. Funds however ran out. |
| 1849 | Mine passes to Messrs. Clarke, Chapman, Horne & Hart who continued working Copper Adit, but with no great success. |
| 1852 | With only Clarke left, mine reaches Goldscope Lead Vein - Great Bunch, and mine is profitable for 12 years. |
| 1855 | Following a dispute with ex partner Hart, court places mine in the hands of John Taylor Jr. |
| 1859 | Workings down to 60 fm below adit. |
| 1864 | Workings down to 90fm below adit - the limit of the mine’s pumping capacity. About 5,000 tons of lead ore including 22,000 oz silver raised over 12 year period. |
| 1870 | H.K. Spark of Darlington takes over, not much achieved. |
| 1917 | Some working raising 18 tons of ore. |
External Links
Publications (6)
- (1921); BGS - Mineral Resources of GB (c1920s) Vol XXII - Lead & Zinc: Lake District; 65 pages
- (1925); BGS - Mineral Resources of GB (c1920s) Vol XXX - Copper Ores: Midlands, Lake District & N Wales; 102 pages
- (1988); CATMHS - Trip Report 20 11 - Goldscape & Yewthwaite; 1 pages
- Adams, John (2nd Ed 1995); Mines of the Lake District Fells; pp. 23-29
- Bridge, David (1994); PDMHS (Peak District Mines Historical Society) 12-3 Sum - German Miners at Keswick and the Question of Bismuth, The; 5 pages (108-112)
- Smith, Richard (1994); PDMHS (Peak District Mines Historical Society) 12-3 Sum - An Overview of the Principles of Copper Metallurgy and Practice at Keswick 1567 to 1602; 8 pages (116-123)
