Bonsall: Lead Mining, Trails and Limestone Valleys

Bonsall is a former lead-mining village set in steep, converging limestone valleys. The village brings together traces of lead mining, church architecture, walking trails, woodland and events. If you are looking for a hotel in Bonsall, you can choose your destination based on whether history, walking, nature or an event date is the deciding factor for you. These themes reveal different sides of the village.

Lead mining in the valley and on the Leys

Lead mining was carried out in Bonsall from the early 1540s until the 19th century. Bonsall Leys is thought to offer a unique illustration of the intensive, small-scale extraction of lead in post-medieval Derbyshire. At least ten parallel rakes or scrins can be seen on Bonsall Leys. Their number and arrangement make the small-scale structure of the workings visible in a specific example. The suggested uniqueness relates to its illustration of post-medieval lead mining in Derbyshire.

On Bonsall Moor, the Scheduled Monument includes the lead mines Beans and Bacon, Old Eye, Fiery Dragon and Cod Beat, as well as a lime kiln. The remains of these mines are well preserved and include a diverse range of features associated with vein-mining. Bonsall Leys draws attention to the parallel rakes and scrins, while the monument on the moor includes several named mines and the lime kiln. This makes it possible to distinguish two different aspects of mining history: a recurring pattern of small-scale extraction and the diversity of preserved mining features.

Church and trails

St James Church has 13th-century lancet windows. This provides a different point of reference in time from the traces of lead mining: mining was carried out in Bonsall from the early 1540s until the 19th century. The church is on an important footpath into the Peak District National Park. Bonsall is also on the Limestone Way long-distance trail. For walkers, these are two specific route connections: an important footpath into the National Park at the church, and the long-distance trail through the village.

The Bonsall History Trails project resulted in six illustrated leaflets. They guide walkers through the history of Bonsall along paths in the village and its surroundings. The history theme is thus directly linked to walking on paths in and around the village. Comparing the Limestone Way with local history reveals two different walking connections: a long-distance trail through the village and the historical perspective of the leaflets.

Woodland and events

In the lower valley along Via Gellia Road, there is woodland that provides a refuge for wildlife and plants. This focus on nature offers a different perspective from the traces of mining: here, the emphasis is on woodland, animals and plant life. These two themes may matter differently to your trip, depending on whether you are more interested in the village’s past or in nature.

The annual Well-Dressing attracts visitors from near and far. The Bonsall Hen Races also draw many visitors. If you would like to plan your trip around one of these events, check the event dates in advance. This allows you to plan a stay around a specific occasion without setting a fixed itinerary for visits to the different historical and landscape attractions.

Discover more destinations: Taddington, Yeaveley, Hartington, Bamford, Clay Cross, Codnor, Wirksworth, Ault Hucknall.

Return to the regional travel guide: Derbyshire.