Rampgill 10.09.11 - A Father and Son Trip

Rampgill Horse Level was started by the Greenwich Hospital in 1736 following the Scaleburn Moss Vein until it reached Fairhill Vein, this then followed into Rampgill Vein. Rampgill Vein may have been worked as early as 1690. There are references to other veins being worked from much earlier on which join into Rampgill Mine. In 1745 the lease was sold to the London Lead Company who developed the mine at an impressive rate and found the Rampgill Vein and others to be incredibly rich in ore. Altogether Rampgill with all its veins yielded 140,000 tons of lead ore between 1703 and 1886.

By the end of the 19th century most of Rampgill Vein above the water table had been worked out. Between 1899 and 1921 the Vieille Montagne Zinc Company reworked some of the veins in Rampgill Mine and Coalcleugh Mine for zinc ore, with the Rampgill Horse Level being used for access to Coalcleugh Mine. The Rampgill Horse Level was also used as a haulage way via the Hanginshaw Branch Level for the eastern workings of the Middlecleugh and Longcleugh Veins in Smallcleugh Mine.