Surface Coal Mining and Graving in Leeds, West Yorkshire. (2nd July 2016) - Newton, G. D.
Abstract : Coal dug from the surface by workers known as gravers was an important method of mining in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Leeds. The legacy of graving mentioned in documents is reflected in field and surnames to the present day. Traditional methods of mining are considered using probate and manorial documents. Shallow mined coal was essential to the development of the early modern economy, most notably wool textiles. The article demonstrates how different landowners in Leeds allowed their lands to be mined and how this activity was closely connected to the development of early enclosure, settlement and the wider economy.