The lone arch left at Rookhope is the only remaining feature of the buildings that were once Rookhope (or Lintzgarth) Smelt Mill. The smelt mill was built in 1737 by the Blackett family and became the smelt mill for all the lead mines in Rookhope Valley, replacing an older mill further up the valley at Groverake. The purpose of the mill was to smelt lead ore from the mines along the valley into bars of lead, known as “pigs.” The mill had one roasting furnace, three ore hearths, and one…
