Visited with @Oort
An impromptu unplanned explore of a Pennant Sandstone quarry in the Forest of Dean. Not too difficult to find but please be careful of straying into the nearby active working quarry. There has been recent cases of theft from that working quarry and they are not too happy about it and are taking precautions.
HISTORY:
Bixslade is a short steep-sided valley lying in the west of the Forest of Dean. Stone has been extracted continuously since the 15th century at least. The earliest surviving documents record a lease to John Hawtyne for the sum of 4 shillings. In 1675 there were about 20 quarries at Bixhead. In 1856 it was noted that there were a total of 320 quarries in the whole of the forest of Dean.
Whilst most of these quarries have been filled in, today three extensive deep quarries can be found at Bixhead which together with their tips occupy an area of 0.3 sq. km. The mostly northerly is the inactive Pullen’s Quarry which once had a deep pool at its base (the pool was somehow recently drained due to cases of drowning in the 1970s).
The next deep pit quarry lies to the east and is marked by an ascending curve by which a tramroad reached the quarry heads. It’s main face is to the north and at it’s base are the underground workings featured in this report. Now inactive, it was worked until the 1960s and the lease is still held by Forest of Dean Stone Firms Ltd.
Further east lies the present active quarry worked by Forest of Dean Stone Firms. The quarry employs about 30 workers and the method of working the stone is by drilling and splitting with wedges.
Throughout the UK, numerous municipal and civic buildings of the 19th century were constructed of the stone including: University College of Wales at Aberystwyth, University College London and the Shire Hall in Gloucester. Locals claim that London Bridge is built of the stone. More recently the stone has been used for the regeneration of Bath railway Station and Bridgend town centre.
If anyone thinking of Birthday presents for the wife/kids/etc and thinking of a block of Pennant Sandstone as a pressie, here’s the technical specifications:
Compressive Strength 91 MPa
Compressive Strength Post-freeze / thaw 56 cycles 109 MPa
Flexural Strength 15.5 MPa
Density 2416 kg/m3
Water Absorption 2.60%
I’m too thick myself to understand what all that means.
REPORT:
First things first, in comparison with the Wiltshire Mines, the rock here seems to absorb light and it’s much darker with the torches pretty ineffective. Or maybe it’s just time for me to get new batteries. So apologies for the following photo fails.
Bit of a steep slippery climb down to the bottom of the workings from the entrance and I wish this person would keep still when I trying to take a shot
With large steps to overcome as well
Huge high-roofed chambers in there
Same view with a willing volunteer added for scale
At the very bottom, a small pond
Impressive calcite flows
Lots of metalwork being used to hold the roof up
Finally here's Oort's photos which are much better than the crap I put up. Unfortunately his camera developed technical problems and this is all he had.
Thanks for reading
An impromptu unplanned explore of a Pennant Sandstone quarry in the Forest of Dean. Not too difficult to find but please be careful of straying into the nearby active working quarry. There has been recent cases of theft from that working quarry and they are not too happy about it and are taking precautions.
HISTORY:
Bixslade is a short steep-sided valley lying in the west of the Forest of Dean. Stone has been extracted continuously since the 15th century at least. The earliest surviving documents record a lease to John Hawtyne for the sum of 4 shillings. In 1675 there were about 20 quarries at Bixhead. In 1856 it was noted that there were a total of 320 quarries in the whole of the forest of Dean.
Whilst most of these quarries have been filled in, today three extensive deep quarries can be found at Bixhead which together with their tips occupy an area of 0.3 sq. km. The mostly northerly is the inactive Pullen’s Quarry which once had a deep pool at its base (the pool was somehow recently drained due to cases of drowning in the 1970s).
The next deep pit quarry lies to the east and is marked by an ascending curve by which a tramroad reached the quarry heads. It’s main face is to the north and at it’s base are the underground workings featured in this report. Now inactive, it was worked until the 1960s and the lease is still held by Forest of Dean Stone Firms Ltd.
Further east lies the present active quarry worked by Forest of Dean Stone Firms. The quarry employs about 30 workers and the method of working the stone is by drilling and splitting with wedges.
Throughout the UK, numerous municipal and civic buildings of the 19th century were constructed of the stone including: University College of Wales at Aberystwyth, University College London and the Shire Hall in Gloucester. Locals claim that London Bridge is built of the stone. More recently the stone has been used for the regeneration of Bath railway Station and Bridgend town centre.
If anyone thinking of Birthday presents for the wife/kids/etc and thinking of a block of Pennant Sandstone as a pressie, here’s the technical specifications:
Compressive Strength 91 MPa
Compressive Strength Post-freeze / thaw 56 cycles 109 MPa
Flexural Strength 15.5 MPa
Density 2416 kg/m3
Water Absorption 2.60%
I’m too thick myself to understand what all that means.
REPORT:
First things first, in comparison with the Wiltshire Mines, the rock here seems to absorb light and it’s much darker with the torches pretty ineffective. Or maybe it’s just time for me to get new batteries. So apologies for the following photo fails.
Bit of a steep slippery climb down to the bottom of the workings from the entrance and I wish this person would keep still when I trying to take a shot
With large steps to overcome as well
Huge high-roofed chambers in there
Same view with a willing volunteer added for scale
At the very bottom, a small pond
Impressive calcite flows
Lots of metalwork being used to hold the roof up
Finally here's Oort's photos which are much better than the crap I put up. Unfortunately his camera developed technical problems and this is all he had.
Thanks for reading
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