Calver Hill
{{Short description|Peak in the Yorkshire Dales, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Calver Hill
| other_name = Mount Calva
Mount Calvey (archaic)
| photo = Calver Hill from Fremington Edge.jpg
| photo_alt = Skyline shot of a hilltop, with green fields below
| photo_caption = Calver Hill seen from Fremington Edge
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| elevation =
| elevation_m = 487
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| prominence =
| prominence_m = 90
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| prominence_ref = {{cite web |title=Calver Hill |url=https://myyorkshiredales.co.uk/hills/calver-hill/ |website=myyorkshiredales.co.uk|access-date=1 October 2021}}
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| coordinates = {{coord|54.397|-1.980||display=inline, title}}
| location = Swaledale, North Yorkshire
| country = England
| grid_ref_UK = NZ012003
| grid_ref_UK_ref = {{cite map|title =Yorkshire Dales – Northern & Central Area |map =OL30 |year = 2016|scale =1:25,000 |series =Explorer |publisher =Ordnance Survey |isbn =978-0-319-26335-8 }}
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Calver Hill is a fell in the Yorkshire Dales National Park in North Yorkshire, England. It is composed of limestone"The Rivers, Mountains and Sea Coast of Yorkshire", John Phillips, States that Calver Hill is composed of limestone. and is situated at grid reference {{gbmappingsmall|NZ012003}}, near where the valleys of Swaledale and Arkengarthdale meet, the village of Reeth is located on its lower south-eastern slopes, it reaches an altitude of {{convert|487|m}} and is a distinguished feature in mid Swaledale.{{cite web |title=Reeth Low Moor Richmondshire (or Calver Hill) |url=https://getoutside.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/local/reeth-low-moor-richmondshire-or-calver-hill |website=getoutside.ordnancesurvey.co.uk |access-date=1 October 2021}}{{sfn|SAA|2002|p=8}}{{sfn|Laurie|2011|p=42}}{{cite news |title=Whats on – Walks Calver Hill, Healaugh and the River Swale |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AWGLNB&t=&sort=YMD_date%3AD&fld-base-0=alltext&maxresults=20&val-base-0=%22Calver%20Hill%22&docref=news/144778231BAE3E20 |access-date=1 October 2021 |work=Newsbank |date=14 February 2013|url-access=subscription}} Calver Hill is an area of grouse shooting and the fell is dotted with grouse butts. Most of the drainage from the fell goes north and easterly to join the Arkle Beck in lower Arkengarthdale which eventually joins the River Swale just south of Reeth.
History
Evidence exits on the slopes of Calver Hill that point to use during the Neolithic Period and the Bronze Age. Finds of arrowheads, flints, and field patterns also point to possible areas of habitation.{{sfn|SAA|2002|p=2}} The whole area of Calver Hill is sometimes referred to as Reeth Low Moor, and in some older texts, the name of the hill is recorded as either Mount Calvey, or Calvey Hill. Another alternative name of Mount Calva persists into the modern day.{{sfn|Speight|1897|p=239}}{{cite book |last1=Gray |first1=W. |title=Heights of the mountains of Yorkshire |date=1836 |publisher=Bellerby |location=York |page=6|oclc=703932369}}{{cite news |last1=Brown |first1=Jonathan |title=My cruise to Booze up the lane deemed too dangerous for postmen |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/my-cruise-to-booze-up-the-lane-deemed-too-dangerous-for-postmen-883260.html |access-date=1 October 2021 |work=The Independent |date=23 October 2011}}
File:Swaledale-web.jpg to the right of the picture and Fremington Edge beyond]]
Older versions of the 1:25,000 Ordnance Survey map show a trig point at the summit of Calver Hill but all there is now is a pile of rubble and mining spoil to form a summit cairn. The fell is littered with signs of Calver Hill’s industrial past; there is a large disused quarry {{convert|500|m}} north-west of the summit cairn, there are also disused tips, pits and shafts from former lead mines. Lead mining reached its heyday in the 19th century in this area and they were some of the most productive mines in Yorkshire. Calver Hill was a Bole hill a place where the lead from the mines was smelted in an open air furnace which used the prevailing wind to increase the heat.{{cite book |last1=Neaveson |first1=Peter |last2=Palmer |first2=Marylin |title=Industry in the Landscape, 1700–1900 |date=1994 |publisher=Routledge |location=London |isbn=1134832206 |page=83}} Burnt stones and a scattering of slag show the locations of these furnaces."Industry in the Landscape 1700 - 1900", Marilyn Palmer & Peter Neaverson, {{ISBN|0-415-11206-0}} Gives information on lead smelting."Ordnance Survey Outdoor Leisure Map 30 (Yorkshire Dales North & Central)", {{ISBN|0-319-23661-7}} Gives information on quarrying and mining locations.
In January 1868, the disposal of some nitro-glycerine on top of the hill caused some worry in nearby Reeth and Arkengarthdale as the local population were not informed of the impending explosion. The blast caused debris to extend over {{convert|200|yard}} out from the centre, and local people thought they were under attack.{{cite news |last1=Lloyd |first1=Chris |title=On This Day, January 26: Risks faced by early air pioneers illustrated by 1918 fatal accident |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AWGLNB&t=&sort=YMD_date%3AD&fld-base-0=alltext&maxresults=20&val-base-0=%22Calver%20Hill%22&docref=news/169AD1F3D21286A0 |access-date=1 October 2021 |work=Newsbank |date=26 January 2018|url-access=subscription}}
Walks
Calver Hill can be climbed from Reeth, Langthwaite, and Arkle Town in Arkengarthdale, and from Healaugh in Swaledale.{{cite book |last1=Hannon |first1=Paul |title=Swaledale |date=1995 |publisher=Hillside |location=Keighley |isbn=1870141393 |page=50}} From Arkengarthdale, the Arkle Town to Healaugh bridleway can be used to attain the western ridge at a height of {{convert|420|m}}.{{cite map|title =Yorkshire Dales - Northern & Central Area |map =OL30 |year =2016 |scale =1:25,000 |series =Explorer |publisher =Ordnance Survey |isbn =978-0-319-26335-8 }}
References
{{reflist}}
=Sources=
- {{cite journal|last=Laurie|first=M. |title=Archaelogical Landscapes of Reeth Moor|journal=Memoirs|year=2011|volume=92|publisher=The Northern Mines Research Society|location=Sheffield|issn=0308-2199}}
- {{cite book|last=Speight|first=Harry|title=Romantic Richmondshire: Being a complete account of the history, antiquities and scenery of the picturesque valleys of the Swale and Yore|year=1897|publisher=E Stock|location=London|oclc=252008733}}
- {{cite report|title=Swaledale and Arkengarthdale|date=2002|url=https://archive.yorkshiredales.org.uk/about-the-dales/landscape/landscapecharacterassessment/lca_swaledale-arkengarthdale.pdf|format=PDF|website=archive.yorkshiredales.org.uk|access-date=1 October 2021|ref={{harvid|SAA|2002}} }}