Pen-yr-Orsedd Quarry
On a recent birthday trip to North Wales, I decided to have a look at a quarry, something I've never done. Having seen a few reports on this particular one in the past, it interested me. I set an entire day aside to check it out, but it didn't actually take as long as I initially thought it would.
Pen-yr-Orsedd Quarry was opened in 1816. It was owned by William Turner who also owned the nearby Dorothea Quarry. It was a relatively small exercise until 1862 when it was purchased by Darbishire Company, who owned several quarries in the area. They invested nearly £2million in today's money to expand the Quarry.
The Quarry is across three levels, it had mills on each level. The first constructed in 1860, the next in 1870 with the final constructed in 1898. At this period, over 600 people were employed. Operating successfully for numerous decades, Pen-yr-Orsedd was the last Nantlle quarries to produce slate commercially. It eventually closed in 1979 most likely due to lack of demand for slate.
The top most buildings were used up until recently. Equipment can be seen on some older reports, that has all since been cleared out. It's a nice easy wander around, almost public. I saw plenty of dog walkers and a few runners while looking around. Incredibly relaxed and surprisingly for February in Wales, it was sunny and dry!
This report may be a bit photo heavy, so I do apologize. I started at the older buildings at the bottom of the quarry and worked my way up.
A lovely diesel generator. Right up my street
This corner of the quarry had a few residential looking buildings. Potentially for quarry workers to live on site?
Some of the many winding gears on the site
Continued...
On a recent birthday trip to North Wales, I decided to have a look at a quarry, something I've never done. Having seen a few reports on this particular one in the past, it interested me. I set an entire day aside to check it out, but it didn't actually take as long as I initially thought it would.
Pen-yr-Orsedd Quarry was opened in 1816. It was owned by William Turner who also owned the nearby Dorothea Quarry. It was a relatively small exercise until 1862 when it was purchased by Darbishire Company, who owned several quarries in the area. They invested nearly £2million in today's money to expand the Quarry.
The Quarry is across three levels, it had mills on each level. The first constructed in 1860, the next in 1870 with the final constructed in 1898. At this period, over 600 people were employed. Operating successfully for numerous decades, Pen-yr-Orsedd was the last Nantlle quarries to produce slate commercially. It eventually closed in 1979 most likely due to lack of demand for slate.
The top most buildings were used up until recently. Equipment can be seen on some older reports, that has all since been cleared out. It's a nice easy wander around, almost public. I saw plenty of dog walkers and a few runners while looking around. Incredibly relaxed and surprisingly for February in Wales, it was sunny and dry!
This report may be a bit photo heavy, so I do apologize. I started at the older buildings at the bottom of the quarry and worked my way up.
A lovely diesel generator. Right up my street
This corner of the quarry had a few residential looking buildings. Potentially for quarry workers to live on site?
Some of the many winding gears on the site
Continued...
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