Time
Slide 9
People have been mining lead around here for hundreds of years – perhaps even as far back as Roman times.
Notes
This picture is from sixteenth century Germany, but it gives a good idea of the hustle and bustle at early mines. The mines at Alston, not too far from Langley, were important sources of silver in the Middle Ages. There was an acute shortage of gold in western Europe at this period caused by the Arabic Islamic invasion of gold producing localities – and silver was the next best thing!