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. 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. 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 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. Burnt stones and a scattering of
slag show the locations of these furnaces. 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 out from the centre, and local people thought they were under attack. ==Walks==