Bouse Hoppers 100 Metres North of Great Eggleshope Beck

Bouse hoppers for the Wire Gill Lead Mine, probably built in the late 18th century, are located 100 metres north of Great Eggleshope Beck in Middleton in Teesdale. These structures are made of thin courses of dry stone rubble with oblique coping. Three walls, approximately 2 to 2.5 metres high, create hoppers on the side of the fell. The top of the hoppers is level with a track at around 400 metres above sea level, which follows the contours from the former Wire Gill Mine. The bottom of the hoppers is at about 395 metres above sea level, adjacent to a horse-shoe-plan enclosure. This enclosure is formed by walls that rise from ground level at the front to about 2.5 metres at the back. In the back, there are two small square openings at ground level, constructed with wooden jambs and lintels, featuring iron hinge-pins. This design provided easy access to the main track along the valley. These hoppers represent a rare survival of lead mining techniques.