The site was built in its present form c. 1820 for the specific purpose of processing lead won by hushing and hydraulic mining.

[10] Lord Wharton, a local landowner and politician, laid claim to the land and started up his own mines less than 100 yards (91 m) from Marriott's.

[11] The judiciary found in the favour of Marriott, and whilst Wharton threatened further legal action, the case was never heard again.

[12] In 1720, Marriott sought an extension on the lease of the area up to 1727, but was required to pay one-eighth of his turnover to the crown.

An external waterwheel was attached to the outside wall of the bellows room and this measured approximately 20 feet (6.1 m) in diameter,[21] and 20 inches (500 mm) wide.

The watercourse was the overflow from a man-made reservoir built to the immediate south on ground higher than the mill building.

[26] The water then powered the waterwheel which activated the bellows and kept the furnaces supplied with air to aid the smelting of rock.

[30] After the mill was abandoned for lead smelting purposes, it was used as a sheep dip and a place of protection for cattle.

[31] The site is a scheduled monument[32] and the buildings, including the barrel-arched watercourse, are listed as grade II*.

[34] The floods also destroyed a stone bridge on the road to Grinton; this was the normal route for smelter ore to leave the site.

[25] Work was undertaken in January and February 2020 to protect the edge of the main mill building from future water damage and subsidence.