Force Crag Mine and barytes mill was the last working mineral mine in the Lake District. The earliest date when mining began at Force Crag is unclear, however, documentary sources suggest surface extraction had taken place by 1578. Its multi-period mineral processing mill is highly significant for retaining its machinery that ceased operation in 1991.
The site has multiple designations - the mill building and surrounding industrial landscape is a Scheduled Monument and exhibits the Outstanding Universal Value that underpin the Lake District's status as a World Heritage Site. Part of the abandoned mine is a geological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), whilst the surrounding common is an ecological SSSI. The mine water discharges into Bassenthwaite Lake - a Special Area of Conservation (SAC).
Like many former industrial sites, Force Crag Mine, its mill building and other surface infrastructure has since its abandonment entered a state of gradual, but perpetual, decline. This is largely due to a combination of environmental factors, particularly water, high altitude and the exposed nature of the remains. While some features, such as rock cut features, spoil heaps and earthworks remain largely stable in this environment, an unchallengeable combination of water erosion, gravity and time is gradually eroding the evidence of other features. In common with most buildings and structures erected on modern industrial sites, the existing mill building was constructed to serve a particular utilitarian function and have a relatively short lifespan. It was constructed of cheap locally available (and often salvaged) materials chosen for their ability to serve an immediate purpose, rather than for their durability.
However, there exists a real possibility that the mill will at some point be significantly impacted upon by water borne rock and scree brought down from the hillside above during a significant storm of the character of Storm Desmond which caused lasting damage and disruption across the Lake District. Ingress of large volumes of water entering the mine as a result of a severe storm event, and the subsequent build up of water pressure behind the collapsed and blocked portals, heightens the risk of a catastrophic blowout. A sudden release of water at high pressure could have devastating consequences for the buildings and structures on the surface, as well as the downstream lakes and streams and their communities, as any gushing torrent would by-pass the experiential water treatment plant designed to capture a majority of the heavy metal pollution issuing from the mine.
Since 2002, several interventions have occurred on site to manage and mitigate the effects of flooding from severe storm events. The sudden release of polluted mine water into the river and Bassenthwaite Lake and the potential of land slippage and inundation of the mill in a storm are huge risks which the National Trust are trying to manage. How can a site like this adapt to climate change?
