From time immemorial, subjects of the Realm have enjoyed certain privileges to work the ground of the Peak District for galena, the commonest ore of lead.

These unwritten laws and customs were handed down by word of mouth from one generation to the next. It was not until 1288 that they were first recorded in writing. They were amended from time to time during the next few centuries until 1851 / 52 when they were considerably over - hauled and simplified. They still exist in that form to the present day as the Derbyshire Mining Customs and Mineral Courts Act 1852. These ancient laws and customs are still maintained by the Barmote Courts, of which there were several in Derbyshire. The Courts are officiated by the Bar Master, his Steward, and the Jury Men.

Wirksworth Mote Hall.

The Courts recorded the claims, set out lengths of ground, or meers, along a vein to its finder, and settled disputes, which were numerous, that arose between miner and miner, and between miners and landowners. They also collected the royalties and tithes that were payable to the Crown and to the Church.

The Bar Master was also assisted by the "body of the mine", which was originally made up of twenty four jury men. They were all working lead miners. Today there are only twelve jury men elected to the Court.

The Steward to the Court, is a qualified barrister, whose job is to deal with the legalities of the various cases that were brought before the Court. Proclamations and summonses are read to the Court by the Clerk to the Court.

The Body of the Mine. Clerk to the Court. Steward and Bar Master.

The Barmote Court in session.

Barmote Courts are still held in the High and Low Peak. The High Peak Court is held annually in the Mechanics Institute in the village of Eyam, to govern the Eyam and Stoney Middleton Liberties. Another Court, also held annually at Eyam, covers the Private Liberties of Ashford, Tideswell, Peak Forest, Hartington, and the Granges. Occasionally a Court is held for the Duke of Rutland's Private Liberties.

The Low Peak Court, used to be held bi - annually, but now only meets annually in April at the Wirksworth Mote Hall, and governs the Soke and Wapentake of Wirksworth. In the Mote Hall, is kept the bronze Standard Ore Measuring Dish, which has a volume of fourteen pints, and was used to standardise the wooden ore measuring dishes kept at the lead mines. It was presented to the Barmote Court by Henry IIIV in 1513, no doubt to ensure that the correct royalties owing to him were paid by the lead miners !

Front View. Rear View.

The Bronze Standard Measuring Dish .

The Dish is engraved on both sides and the inscriptions read :-

" This dish was made the iiij day of October iiij yere of the reigne of Kyng Henry the viij before George Erle of Shrowesbury Steward of the kyngs most Honourable household and allso Steward of all honour of Tutbury by the assent and consent as well of all the Mynours as of all the Brenners within and adioyning the Lordshyp of Wyrkysworth Percell of the said honour. This Dishe to Remayne In the Moot Hall at Wyrkysworth hanging by a cheyne so as the Merchauntes or Mynours may have resorte to the same at all tymes to make mesure at the same ".

Claiming a New Lead Vein.

When a miner discovered a new vein, he had to "free" the vein, by producing a dish of dressed ore for the Bar Master, who then registered the claim and then awarded two founder meers along the new vein to the miner. The meer is a linear measure along the vein, and varied between twenty nine yards to thirty two yards, depending in which Liberty the vein was found.

After the founder meers had been worked, the miner would then work the next meer of ground, which was called the "Lord's Meer". All the ore from this meer went to the mineral lessee. Beyond the Lords Meer, subsequent meers were called "Taker Meers".

All the lead ore produced from the mine was measured by the Bar Master, who collected every thirteenth dish of ore for the owner of the Mineral Duties. This duty was called "Lot".

In some Liberties, the Church imposed tithe duties. These were bitterly resented by the miners !

Another payment the miners made was that of "Cope". This fixed sum allowed them to sell their lead ore to any agent or smelter of their own choice.

Nine dishes made a "Load", and four loads weighed around one ton.

Once the lead ore reached the smelter, it was then converted into lead metal, from which a whole host of products were made.

© R.Amner. 2002.