Marlbeck Lead Mine, Teesdale
Marlbeck Lead Mine sits high above Middleton in Teesdale on the Hudeshope side of the valley. Quiet today, the stone mine shop and nearby level entrance are the surviving remains of a nineteenth-century lead mine that once formed part of Teesdale’s working upland landscape.
The mine shop and level are now protected as a Grade II listed building, recognised for their historic importance. Standing here today, with open moorland around you and Hudeshope Beck below, it’s easy to imagine the daily routines that once shaped this place, even as nature has slowly reclaimed the site.
How to get there
Marlbeck Lead Mine lies above Middleton-in-Teesdale on the Hudeshope side of the valley and is best reached via a short, scenic walk from a roadside lay-by.
Driving from Middleton-in-Teesdale
From Middleton-in-Teesdale, head out of the town on the Middle Side road (often referred to locally as Hude Road). After leaving the town, take the right-hand turn signposted Auckside / Coldberry. Follow this narrow moorland road as it climbs out of the valley, passing Coldberry Lead Mine along the way.
Continue along the road until you reach Hudeshope Beck, where there is a large roadside lay-by close to the bridge. This is the most convenient place to park. Please park considerately and be mindful that this quiet road is also used by farm traffic closest post code DL12 0PR.
Walking to the mine shop and level
From the lay-by, continue on foot along the road for a short distance until you see a public footpath sign leading off across the fields. Follow this path as it crosses a couple of small becks before joining the line of Hudeshope Beck.
The walk itself is a pleasure, even before reaching the mine. Open fields, flowing water and wide moorland views make this a peaceful route in its own right.
From the lay-by, the walk to the Marlbeck mine shop and level entrance is around three-quarters of a mile. The stone building and arched level sit slightly away from the main path, but are easy to spot once you arrive.
Access notes
The mine lies on open access land, but this is an old industrial landscape. Ground can be uneven and wet underfoot, with hidden hollows typical of former mining areas. The mine shop and level are fragile historic structures and are best appreciated from the outside only.
Sturdy footwear is recommended, and extra care is needed in poor weather.
The Mine Shop
A solid two storey stone building that once provided shelter and working space for miners in this exposed upland setting. Its simple, practical design reflects the everyday needs of a working mine rather than domestic life.
Inside the Mine Shop
Looking inside reveals rough stone walls, timber roof beams and the remains of a fireplace. These features suggest the building provided basic warmth and shelter, offering a glimpse into the everyday conditions faced by miners working in this exposed landscape.
The Level Entrance
Set into the hillside beside the shop, the low arched level marks the entrance to the underground workings. Levels like this allowed miners to follow the lead veins directly into the hill while helping drain water from the mine.
About Marlbeck Lead Mine
Marlbeck Lead Mine was never a vast industrial complex, but it played a quiet and practical role in the wider mining landscape above Middleton-in-Teesdale. The stone building that survives today is known as a mine shop, sometimes also called a lodging shop, and it would have been a place where miners sheltered, stored tools and equipment, and took brief rest from the weather rather than a permanent home.
The nearby arched level entrance marks where miners entered the hillside to follow the lead-bearing veins underground. Levels like this were driven horizontally into the slope, allowing water to drain naturally while giving direct access to the workings. It was a practical approach well suited to Teesdale’s geology, and one used across the Hudeshope and Eggleshope valleys.
The mine shop and level are now protected as a Grade II listed building, recognised by Historic England as an important surviving relic of the area’s nineteenth-century lead mining industry. Built from local stone and set close to the workings, the building reflects the everyday, working nature of upland mining rather than anything grand or decorative.
Victorian newspaper letters from the 1880s refer to Marlbeck by name and describe it as part of daily working life above Middleton. One account mentions “Marlbeck-head” as a recognised place on the fell, reached by a well-used track before descending to the mine. Another describes the wider area as a landscape shaped by mining spoil and activity, already beginning to fall quiet by the late nineteenth century.
Standing here today, it’s easy to imagine Marlbeck as a small but purposeful place. Not a mine that dominated the valley, but one that fitted into it, worked steadily, and then faded back into the moor. The building, the level entrance and the surrounding ground don’t try to impress, but together they tell an honest story of work, shelter and routine in a tough upland environment.
The Marlbeck Mine Building
Built from local stone and set high above Hudeshope Beck, this solid structure reflects practical mining architecture rather than domestic use. Its thick walls, simple openings and elevated position place it firmly within Teesdale’s nineteenth-century mining landscape.
The Stone-Lined Level
The arched level entrance leads into a stone-lined tunnel driven directly into the hillside. Levels like this allowed miners to follow lead veins underground while also helping drain water from the workings, making year-round mining possible.
Inside the Mine Shop
This stone building once served as a mine shop and lodging space for miners working at Marlbeck. The large fireplace and heavy soot staining show where men would have gathered for warmth, cooking and basic shelter during long days on the moor.
What Life Was Like for the Miners at Marlbeck
Standing inside the mine shop today, it’s easy to imagine how basic life was for the men who worked here. This wasn’t a home in the usual sense. It was shelter, warmth and necessity, all shaped around the demands of the mine rather than comfort.
Miners often slept in buildings like this, especially those working far from Middleton. Straw bedding would be laid directly on the stone floor or on simple wooden platforms, with personal belongings kept to a minimum. The fireplace was the heart of the space, used for warmth, cooking and drying damp clothes after long days underground.
Food was simple and practical. Oatcakes, bread, broth and whatever could be carried or stored easily formed the basis of most meals. Eating happened when work allowed, not to a clock, and the fire would have been in near constant use during colder months on the exposed moor.
Each day began early and ended late. Miners worked by candle or lamp light in narrow stone lined levels, following the lead veins through damp rock. The work was repetitive, skilled and physically demanding, and pay depended on what could be brought out rather than the hours spent underground.
Life at Marlbeck was lived side by side with other miners, centred around hard work, long days underground and whatever warmth the fire could provide at the end of a shift. The quiet stone walls and soot-stained fireplace that remain today offer a rare glimpse into that routine, reminding us that this landscape was once alive with work, voices and endurance.
What Was Marlbeck Lead Mine Used For?
Marlbeck Lead Mine formed part of the wider nineteenth-century lead mining industry above Middleton-in-Teesdale. The site includes a mine shop used for shelter and lodging, along with stone-lined levels driven into the hillside to reach lead-bearing veins underground.
Worked alongside nearby sites such as Wiregill and High Skeers, Marlbeck played a practical supporting role within a connected mining landscape shaped by the London Lead Company. Although smaller and quieter than some neighbouring mines, it contributed to the steady extraction of lead that once defined this part of Teesdale.
Can You Visit Marlbeck Lead Mine Today?
Marlbeck Lead Mine can be visited on foot and lies on open access land above Hudeshope Beck. The remains are clearly visible from the surface and include the mine shop building, level entrances and surrounding spoil.
There is no formal management or signage on site. All buildings and mine openings should be viewed from the outside only. Uneven ground, hidden drops and unstable structures are part of the landscape, so careful, respectful exploration is essential.
A Quiet Place with a Strong Story
Marlbeck Lead Mine may not be as well known as some of Teesdale’s larger mining sites, but its value lies in how clearly it shows everyday working life rather than industrial scale. This was a place shaped by routine, resilience and quiet effort, where small groups of people lived and worked closely with the land.
Standing here today, with the sound of Hudeshope Beck nearby and the hills stretching out around you, it’s easy to forget how busy this place once was. That contrast is part of what makes Marlbeck special, a reminder that Teesdale’s mining history was built not only in famous locations, but in practical, working places like this, quietly waiting to be understood.