Dent Marble

Last updated

Dent Marble
Black Marble
Sedimentary rock
Stone House Bridge over the River Dee - geograph.org.uk - 2360576.jpg
The hamlet of Stone House, where the two mills were located
Composition
Crinoidal limestone

Dent Marble is a highly polished form of limestone which occurs in the Dentdale district of Cumbria in England. The stone is noted for the presence of fossils which gives it its distinctive look. The stone is actually a crinoidal limestone and is not a true marble, but is known as a marble because it polished quite well. Dent Marble has been used for staircases, floors and hearths in railway stations and large buildings in England, Australia and Russia. The trade died out when import tariffs on Italian marble were relaxed, and Dent Marble became less popular.

Contents

History

The limestone was discovered to be of use as a decorative stone about 1760, and production of the polished stone as marble flourished. By 1810, water-powered mills were being used to drive the marble-cutting saws at High Mill, and the polishing works at Low Mill. [1] The stone used for processing was quarried at Artengill, Dent Head, Great Coum and Rise Hill, [2] though it has been identified as occurring at Garsdale, Gawthrop and Sedbergh. [3] The stone that occurred within Artengill was of a varying thickness. However, it could be quarried easily from the surface with levers and wedges, with no records of blasting or drilling being evident. [4] The quarrying without explosives has also been attributed to the need not to jolt or damage the stone, as this would make it unsuitable for polishing. [2] Some seams were exposed in gills (streams) that had been worn down by the action of water. [5]

Dent Marble was originally cut at High Mill, and polished at Low Mill works in the dale prior to being used. [6] Both mills were located on Artengill Beck, with High Mill being nearer to Arten Gill Viaduct, [note 1] and used water power to enable cutting of the stone, [7] with the mill-wheel at High Mill being 60 feet (18 m) in diameter. [8] Low mill was previously used for carding cotton before being repurposed for the Dent Marble industry, [9] and collectively, the two mills were known as the Stone House Marble Works; Stone House being the hamlet the two mills were located in. [2] The hamlet saw an increase in population, with a special mention in census returns detailing the numbers involved. [10]

In 1835, William George Armstrong was on honeymoon in Dentdale and was interested in the use of water to power the water wheels at the marble works in the dale. Moreover, Armstrong noted the inefficiency of the use of the water, calculating that only 20% of the available water from Artengill Beck was being converted into power. This led to him changing his career and creating hydro-electric power at his estate, Cragside. [11] [12]

Exporting the marble from Dentdale was difficult, and had to be done by pack-horse trains to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Gargrave. [13] The opening of the railway from Settle to Carlisle in 1876, allowed for the marble to be transhipped via Dent railway station. [1]

Later, use of imported Italian marble supplanted the use of Dent Marble, as the import tariffs on that stone were relaxed. [14] During its latter years, the works at High Mill in Dentdale actually worked with imported Italian marble, before finally closing in 1906–1907, [15] and the works at Low Mill closed a year later. [16] The remains of the works in the dale have been recognised as important, as only one other marble works in England (Derbyshire), is also extant, all others having been demolished completely. [9] High Mill has been converted into a dwelling, and is now a grade II listed structure. [17]

Geology

The limestone used is particular to the area, and is called a crinoidal limestone, a dark stone with a high carbon content and laced with the white fossils of sea-lilies. [8] [18] [19] Various types of limestone were worked from the local beds; a white stone, a black stone and a grey stone, all of which were usd in the industry. [20] Often, these would be put together for flooring to produce a chequered pattern, with large amounts being exported to Australia. The back and grey flooring was used in the Church of St Andrew in Dent. [21]

Notable use

Several railway stations on the Settle–Carlisle line (including Dent) had a Dent Marble fireplace installed in them. [4] [22] Other notable uses include;

Notes

  1. ↑ The beck is known as Artengill, but the railway records the viaduct above it as Arten Gill.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yorkshire Dales</span> Upland area of the Pennines in Northern England

The Yorkshire Dales are a series of valleys, or dales, in the Pennines, an upland range in England. They are mostly located in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, but extend into Cumbria and Lancashire; they were historically entirely within Yorkshire. The majority of the dales are within the Yorkshire Dales National Park, created in 1954. The exception is the area around Nidderdale, which forms the separate Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Settle–Carlisle line</span> Railway line in northern England

The Settle–Carlisle line is a 73-mile-long (117 km) main railway line in northern England. The route, which crosses the remote, scenic regions of the Yorkshire Dales and the North Pennines, runs between Settle Junction, on the Leeds–Morecambe line, and Carlisle, near the English-Scottish borders. The historic line was constructed in the 1870s and has several notable tunnels and viaducts such as the imposing Ribblehead.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ribblehead Viaduct</span> Railway viaduct in North Yorkshire, England

The Ribblehead Viaduct or Batty Moss Viaduct carries the Settle–Carlisle railway across Batty Moss in the Ribble Valley at Ribblehead, in North Yorkshire, England. The viaduct, built by the Midland Railway, is 28 miles (45 km) north-west of Skipton and 26 miles (42 km) south-east of Kendal. It is a Grade II* listed structure. Ribblehead Viaduct is the longest and the third tallest structure on the Settle–Carlisle line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dent, Cumbria</span> Village and civil parish in Cumbria, England

Dent is a village and civil parish in Cumbria, England, within the historic boundaries of the West Riding of Yorkshire. It lies in Dentdale, a narrow valley on the western slopes of the Pennines within the Yorkshire Dales National Park, 4 miles (6 km) south east of Sedbergh and 8 miles (13 km) north east of Kirkby Lonsdale. At the 2011 census, Dent and Middleton had a total population of 785.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garsdale Head</span> Landform watershed in Northern England

Garsdale Head is a hamlet mainly within the South Lakeland district of Cumbria, England. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, the hamlet is now on the border with Richmondshire, North Yorkshire. It lies within the boundaries of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Knoutberry Hill</span> Mountain in the Yorkshire Dales, England

Great Knoutberry Hill, also commonly known as Widdale Fell, is a mountain located near Dent at the heads of Ribblesdale, Dentdale and Wensleydale, in the Yorkshire Dales National Park and within the boundaries of the historic county of Yorkshire. In fact, the borders between the West Riding and North Riding of Yorkshire meet at the summit, and the border between the modern administrative counties of Cumbria and North Yorkshire also runs over the fell. At a height of 2,205 feet (672 m) above sea level it is the 16th-highest fell in the Yorkshire Dales, with Rogan's Seat being exactly the same height.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Skirfare</span> River in North Yorkshire, England

River Skirfare is a small river in North Yorkshire, England, that flows through Littondale and ends where it joins the larger River Wharfe. The source is the confluence of Foxup Beck and Cosh Beck at the hamlet of Foxup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Dee, Cumbria</span> River in Cumbria, England

The River Dee is a river running through the extreme south east of Cumbria, a part of the Craven region traditionally part of the West Riding of Yorkshire. Its name possibly derives from Brythonic deva meaning goddess, or from Dent or Dentdale, through which the river flows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rylstone</span> Village and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England

Rylstone is a village and civil parish in the former Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated very near to Cracoe and about 6 miles (9.7 km) south west of Grassington. The population of the civil parish as of the 2001 census was 122, and had risen to 160 by the time of the 2011 census. In 2015, the population was estimated to be 180.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garsdale</span> Village and civil parish in Cumbria, England

Garsdale is a dale or valley in the south east of Cumbria, England, historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire. It is now within the Westmorland and Furness local government district, and in the Yorkshire Dales National Park for planning purposes. In the 2001 census the parish had a population of 202, decreasing at the 2011 census to 191.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dentdale</span> Valley in Cumbria, England

Dentdale is a dale or valley in the north-west of the Yorkshire Dales National Park in Cumbria, England. It is the valley of the River Dee, but takes its name from the village of Dent. The dale runs east to west, starting at Dent Head, which is the location of a railway viaduct on the Settle-Carlisle Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sinnington</span> Village and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England

Sinnington is a village and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. It is located on the southern boundary of the North York Moors National Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dales High Way</span>

A Dales High Way is a long-distance footpath in northern England. It is 90 miles (140 km) long and runs from Saltaire in West Yorkshire to Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria, roughly parallel to the line of the Settle and Carlisle Railway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richmond to Lancaster Turnpike</span> Former road in Northern England

The Richmond to Lancaster Turnpike, was a road that was opened in the second half of the 18th century between Richmond, in the North Riding of Yorkshire and Lancaster in Lancashire, Northern England. The turnpike was built to allow goods to be taken from Yorkshire to the port of Lancaster. It was approved in 1751, but was not wholly completed until 1774.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arten Gill Viaduct</span> Railway viaduct in Cumbria, England

Arten Gill Viaduct is an eleven-arch railway bridge in Dentdale, Cumbria, England. The viaduct carries the Settle to Carlisle railway line over Artengill Beck. The viaduct was originally designed to be further west, which is lower down the steep valley side, but by moving the line slightly eastwards, the viaduct could be installed at a higher location, thereby using fewer materials in its height. Arten Gill Viaduct is constructed partly from Dent Marble in the inside of the arches instead of the more usual brick. Dent Marble is a type of dark limestone which was quarried from Artengill beneath the viaduct itself. The viaduct is a grade II listed structure, and a scheduled monument.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dent Head Viaduct</span> A railway viaduct in Cumbria, England

Dent Head Viaduct is a railway viaduct on the Settle–Carlisle line in Dentdale, Cumbria, England. It is the second major viaduct on the line northwards after Ribblehead Viaduct, and is just north of Blea Moor Tunnel at milepost 251, and to the south of Arten Gill Viaduct. Construction of the viaduct began in 1869, and it was completed in 1875, extra time being needed due to periods of heavy rainfall. The line bows slightly to the east in order to follow the contours of Woldfell, which it navigates on the western side. The viaduct was grade II Listed in 1999. Dent Head Viaduct is 17 miles (27 km) north of Settle Junction, and 57 miles (92 km) south of Carlisle railway station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wether Fell</span> Peak in the Yorkshire Dales, England

Wether Fell, also known as Drumaldrace, is a mountain in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, in North Yorkshire, England. Wether Fell is mountain that divides Wensleydale in the north and Upper Wharfedale in the south. Its summit is 614 metres (2,014 ft). A Roman Road, the Cam High Road, passes along the southern edge of the summit reaching 1,900 feet (580 m).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coal Road</span> Ancient road in Cumbria, England

The Coal Road is an unclassified highway which connects the railway stations at Garsdale and Dent in Cumbria, England. The road is within the Yorkshire Dales National Park, and was historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire. The name derives from its use transporting locally mined coal, although before that it was used as a droving route between England and Scotland through Mallerstang.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chapel-le-Dale (valley)</span> Valley in the Yorkshire Dales, England

Chapel-le-Dale is west-facing valley in the Yorkshire Dales, England. The U-shaped valley of Chapel-le-Dale is one of the few which drain westwards towards the Irish Sea, however, the river that flows through the valley has several names with the Environment Agency and the Ordnance Survey listing it as the River Doe. However, some older texts insist the name of the watercourse through the dale is the River Greta, which runs from a point below the hamlet of Chapel-le-Dale, and onwards past Ingleton. The dale is sparsely populated with only one settlement, the hamlet of Chapel-le-Dale, which has a small chapel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sleddale</span> Valley in the Yorkshire Dales, England

Sleddale is a short, narrow valley to the south of Wensleydale in North Yorkshire, England. The waters draining down the valley feed into the River Ure and form part of the Humber Catchment. The valley has only one settlement, Gayle, although Hawes lies at the mouth of the beck where it runs into the River Ure. The dale is characterised by upland farming and historical mine workings, and is between the slopes of Dodd Fell to the west, and Wether Fell to the east.

References

  1. 1 2 Wright, Geoffrey N. (1986). The Yorkshire Dales. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. p. 109. ISBN   0715387022.
  2. 1 2 3 Lennie 2005, p. 79.
  3. ↑ Raistrick, Arthur (1951). "The Story of Dent Marble". The Dalesman. 13 (9). Clapham: Dalesman Publications: 442–445. ISSN   0011-5800.
  4. 1 2 Mitchell 1999, p. 81.
  5. ↑ Lennie 2005, pp. 78–79.
  6. ↑ Thompson, William (1910). Sedbergh, Garsdale, and Dent. Leeds: R Jackson. p. 264. OCLC   320191804.
  7. ↑ Bennett, John; Bennett, Jan, eds. (1993). A Guide to the industrial archaeology of Cumbria. Telford: Association for Industrial Archaeology. p. 12. ISBN   0-9508448-8-8.
  8. 1 2 Scholes, Ron (2006). Yorkshire Dales (2 ed.). Ashbourne: Landmark. p. 41. ISBN   1-84306-209-7.
  9. 1 2 Dennison & Richardson 2007, p. 1.
  10. ↑ Rickman, John, ed. (1833). Abstract of the answers and returns made pursuant to an act, passed in the eleventh year of the reign of His Majesty King George IV, intituled, "An act for taking an account of the population of Great Britain, and of the increase or diminution thereof", M. DCCC. XXXI. London: Great Britain Census Office. p. 814. OCLC   5285514.
  11. ↑ Lennie 2005, p. 81.
  12. ↑ Linsley, Stafford M. "Armstrong, William George, Baron Armstrong". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/669.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  13. 1 2 3 4 Lennie 2005, p. 80.
  14. ↑ Hartley & Ingilby 1991, pp. 146–148.
  15. ↑ Hartley & Ingilby 1991, pp. 146–149.
  16. ↑ Dennison & Richardson 2007, p. 14.
  17. ↑ Historic England. "Stone House Dent (Grade II) (1383941)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  18. ↑ Mitchell 1999, p. 5.
  19. ↑ Lennie 2005, p. 78.
  20. ↑ Hartley & Ingilby 1991, p. 146.
  21. ↑ "The Cumbrian Dales" (PDF). archive.yorkshiredales.org.uk. p. 3. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  22. ↑ Gerrard, Mike (1999). Yorkshire Dales (2 ed.). Basingstoke: AA. p. 86. ISBN   0749520604.
  23. ↑ "Engineering Timelines - Arten Gill Viaduct". www.engineering-timelines.com. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  24. ↑ Hartley & Ingilby 1991, p. 149.
  25. ↑ Historic England. "Church of St Andrew (Grade I) (1383978)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  26. ↑ "History of Yorkshire | Dent Village Heritage Centre". museumsintheyorkshiredales.co.uk. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  27. ↑ Hartley & Ingilby 1991, p. 122.
  28. ↑ Historic England. "Church of St Peter (Grade II*) (1349025)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  29. ↑ Bowman, Jamie (12 September 2020). "Heritage Open Days go online as Bolton's historic secrets are uncovered" . infoweb.newsbank.com. Retrieved 11 August 2021.

Sources

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.