Cooperhaugh Wood

A couple of derelict outbuildings at Keenleywell House.

Still displaying its antecedents as old the School House.

Old School House at Keenley.

Barns at Keenleywell House.

Former Farmhouse in a wonderful position

The Victorian postbox is built into the wall at the corner of the grounds of the old school.

The old school, now converted into a private house, still has a Victorian postbox built into the garden wall outside. There also used to be a telephone box here and a Methodist Chapel at this minor cross-roads serving an isolated community.

The Old School House at Keenley is at a crossroads and seen here along the road to the west-south-west; it dates from 1875 and is a listed building. The road is also part of the route of Isaac's Tea Trail.

On the road from Hexham to Allendale town. Sturdy stone cottages with substantial front gardens.

The design and manufacture of this information board (and others installed in Allenheads) are described here: Differentia: Link Archive Link Bob Marshall 3D Illustrator: Link Archive Link

Water-Wheel Pit "This is the pit for the over-shot water-wheel used here at Allen Mill. The weight and force of moving water cause a wheel to move, which in turn moves machinery by means of belts or gears. The water for the wheel at Allen Mill came from as far away as Weardale. The water was collected in reservoirs and underground systems to finally enter the smelt mill from the south, just above where the current 'SAM' is located. The water for an over-shot water-wheel arrives in-line with and passes over the top of the wheel. The mechanical efficiency of an over-shot water-wheel is estimated to be 68% compared with that of an under-shot water-wheel (where the water passes under the wheel) which is thought to be only 35%. The water-wheel at Allen Mill was used to drive the machinery to crush the ore and provide the air blast for the furnaces." Link Archive Link

The remains of a ore hearth smelt mill and a reverberatory smelt mill, as well as an extensive system of flues. Much of the smelt mill has been levelled, but a broad retaining bank at the rear of the smelt mill site contains the remains of several stone structures revetted into the slope. Some of these structures are interpreted as a series of bouse teams and the remains of a condensing chamber and a flue opening. A building on the north side of the smelt mill complex, was constructed partly on the site of the original Pattison building, a retains its roof form. This was a 19th century silver smelter. Horizontal flues, which run between the smelt mill furnaces and their chimneys, were constructed during the 19th century. The first flue, which was begun in 1808, runs from the south end of the smelt mill and follows the south side of the B6295 before turning west towards Cleugh Head where it originally terminated. On construction of the second flue in 1853 it is thought that the first was extended south and then south-west to Flow Moss. The second flue emerges from the south-western side of the smelt mill and crossed over the adjacent road on what is thought to have been a bridge. The flue continued south-west on a more direct route to the chimneys on Flow Moss. There are two chimneys on Flow Moss. The most southerly chimney, into which both flues pass, has undergone consolidation, and is visible as a well preserved structure 7 metres in diameter. The most northerly chimney, 40 metres north of the first, stands 25 metres high and 4 metres in diameter. The smelt mill was closed in 1896. Historic England List Entry 1016817: Link Allen Lead Smelt Mill on Pastscape: Link Archive Link Allen Smelt Mill, flue system and chimneys: Link Hexham Courant - 24 October 2016: Link 3D reconstruction: Link Archive Link ChronicleLive (2018): Link Archive Link