Rosedale Abbey has many stories to tell – over the course of a thousand years, hard-working hill farmers have shaped the landscape, and their hard work is clear to see. The discovery of ironstone in Rosedale during the 1850s led to a huge population increase, from around 500 to 5,000 miners and their families at its peak, turning Rosedale into a hive of activity and a bustling industrial town. The mines were closed in the 1920s, but the crumbling remains of the calcining kilns still line the valley today.