Notes - Wiseman's Level

This song was written by my old friend Keith Hannam. Keith was on the Upper Wharfedale Cave Rescue back in the late sixties and had an extensive knowledge of the Pennine underground.

High up on the hillside twixt Kettlewell and Starbotton in Upper Wharfedale stands Moorend Farm. Keith was very active in converting this semi derelict farmstead into a Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme Outward Bound Hostel.He found that Moorend had once housed offices for the nearby Moorend Lead Mines, and indeed the spoil heaps of its workings are clearly in evidence nearby.

Moorend shaft was sunk between 1850 and 1858 and lies on the 1,500 foot contour. Over its 20 year lifetime it may have produced 1,000 tons of ore. Minerals on the large tip heaps included galena (lead sulphide), barite (barium sulphate), fluorite (calcium fluoride), calcite (calcium carbonate) and some sphalerite (zinc sulphide). There was some interesting industrial archaeology, including a pit for a waterwheel. A 16ft waterwheel drove a 7ft diameter drum for the winding shaft, while the tail race led to another wheel pit used to drive ore crushers.There is no evidence available concerning the disaster in Keith's Song, so it may be fictional.

When I recorded it for 'Jannock' the percussion section involved a real lump hammer and chisel!