For over three hundred years men worked in the Greenside lead mine up above the village. The village has many houses that were built for people working down the mine and made the village a thriving community.
Historic events
1927 - Keppel cove dam burst high above the mine and washed the bridge out next to the hotel. The hotel lost many valuable antiques but thankfully no one was killed. Check Kilners coffee house for the many photographs from the day after.
1952 - The village lost four of its men when they were overcome by gas in the lead mines. The men were Miller Mulryan Gibson and Mallinson
1960 - Two more village men were killed during the atomic testing that took part in Greenside. The men were Santamera and Sinkinson, both overcome by gas in the mine.
The book below gives a whole account of the mines and the daily lives of the men that worked and died there. The link below gives further information.
http://www.dmm-gallery.org.uk/gallery/g912-000.htm
Nowadays people pass by the waste heaps and old workings on their way up to Sticks pass or Red Tarn before beginning the ascent up to Helvellyn.
