The iron industry in the area is well documented in the medieval period, especially in Nidderdale Chase and Barden Chase, but has left few obvious field remains, the most lasting effect perhaps being a decrease in the woodland cover as early iron smelting required vast quantities of wood, mainly in the form of charcoal.
Further information on historic mining is available from:-
- The Northern Mine Research Society at http://www.nmrs.org.uk/
- and from the Yorkshire Dales National Park at http://www.outofoblivion.org.uk/