 Also on the Borrowdale side of the fell at the upper end of Newhouse Gill at grid reference is the site of the former Borrowdale graphite (then called Plumbago) mines.The mine was started in the 16th century by German immigrants; the graphite found was in a very pure form and in those early days was used only for marking sheep.Later, however, graphite was found to be suitable for lining the casting moulds for cannon and musket balls, which caused its value to soar in the 17th century, as England, France and the Dutch Republic built up their armies.