Nenthead
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Nenthead | |
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| OS grid reference | |
|---|---|
| Parish | Alston Moor (Nenthead Ward |
| District | Eden (Alston Moor Ward) |
| Shire county | Cumbria |
| Region | North West |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ALSTON |
| Postcode district | CA9 |
| Dial code | 01434 |
| Police | Cumbria |
| Fire | Cumbria |
| Ambulance | North West |
| European Parliament | North West England |
| List of places: UK • England • Cumbria | |
The small village of Nenthead in the county of Cumbria is England's highest village at 1500 feet. It was not built until the middle of the 18th century and was one of the earliest purpose-built industrial villages in Britain. Nenthead was a major centre for lead and silver mining in the North Pennines of Britain.
Nenthead in 1861 was a bustling village of some 2,000 souls, mostly Methodist and employed by the Quaker-owned London Lead Company in the Nenthead Mines - some of the most productive in the country. The benevolent Quakers built, amongst other things, housing, a school, a reading room, public baths and a wash-house for the miners and their families. Nenthead was the first villages in the UK to have electric street lighting from excess power generated by the mines. It is true to say the mines were responsible for as many good things as well as bad. Life expectancy was short but the children were being educated.
For a lot of Mine Explorers Nenthead is a mecca as 100s of miles of accessible mines still exist. It features some of the most stunning mines in the country with several horse whims and an 80 meter engine shaft in Rampghill. See Mine exploration The mines closed in 1961 and there is now a Heritage Centre displaying their history. The economy of the village is now based around tourism. England's most popular long distance cycle route, the C2C, passes through the village.
[edit] Links and References
 This Cumbria location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
[edit] External links
- Nenthead Community Site
- Wright Brothers - Well known Bus & Coach operator who are based in Nenthead
