Although trials were made in the Grassington Grit there, no significant amount of coal is known to have been worked at Giggleswick, so it was not covered by Kelly. Since then, however, further evidence has come to light and so it was decided to include it here.
In 1740, Charles Nowell obtained a lease to work coal from the Earl of Burlington. It appears that the areas felt most likely to carry workable coal were Croft Closes (SD023445) and Field Gate (SD960302). Mike Kelly has visited both locations and found “no features which could be clearly related to trials for coal. Small diggings in the fields on the outcrop of the Brennand [Grassington] Grit could have been either for walling stone or coal trials, & the fields on the shales above are featureless”.
By 1829 the Duke of Devonshire was Lord of the Manor, and so was entitled to work the coal. John Barrett, the Duke’s mining agent at Grassington, was making trials for coal at Giggleswick and the landowner, John Hartley, sought recompense for damages claiming that the miners were laying rubbish on his fields.
What appears to be firm proof for mining, the ‘Coal Pit’ shown on the first edition 1/10560 Ordnance Survey map, at the eastern edge of the village, was actually a ‘Cock Pit’.
Gill, M.C. “Great Dales Coalfield, Eastern Areas” British Mining No.86 (2008), pp.68-108
Kelly, M. Geology of the Lune and Upper Ribble Coalfields (British Mining No.85, 2008)
