1. The History
Hendre-ddu quarry is 19th century slate working in Gwynedd, North Wales. It is situated on the eastern slopes of Craig-y-garn, along the beautiful Cwm Pennant valley, just to the east of Garndolbenmaen. Slate was extracted from open workings and then taken down an incline to the main road in Cwm Pennant for onward transportation. As it developed into a deep pit working, tunnel access was added which then met the incline plane where the slate was taken down to a small mill for processing. The stone-build platform and stone retaining walls remain, although the mill was most likely of wooden construction. To the north-east end was the waterwheel. The remaining pit suggests the waterwheel could have been up to 35 feet in diameter and 5 feet wide. It was fed by a small reservoir to the north-west of the mill situated on the northern side of the incline.
As work progressed, lower adits were cut and a turbine powered mill also added at the foot of the incline. Although the exact date of the quarry’s opening is uncertain, records show that in 1861 with slate quarrying in full swing, 60 men were in the quarry’s employ and 700 tons of slate were produced.
Extract of an 1880 O/S Map already showing the quarry as open:
By 1898 with just five men working the quarry things were in the decline which is then reflected in a 1900 O/S map that shows the quarry as “disused”. Today the remains are still pretty extensive. Aside from the tell-tale waste tips that fan out over the hillside, on the top working level there’s the quarrymen’s barracks, the dressing shed and a weigh-house remain. Lower down can be found a mill, weighbridge, powder house and by the roadside, hints of the mill are also extant.
2. The Explore
Another of my continuing efforts to document the Welsh slate industry, this was a nice relaxed explore. It was in walking distance from our accommodation and with the weather being particularly nice, we set off on a family walk to this 19th century slate quarry mine. This is the first and probably last time this has been covered on here as it isn’t particularly spectacular, but serves as a good example of what a 19th century slate quarry would look like. As is often the way, subsequent research shows there was more there than we saw on the day, including the incline and lower building remains. An excuse for a walk back up there when the opportunity arises.
3. The Pictures
Walking up the track, just off it here used to be an old adit:
Looking northwards over the slate tips:
Hut on the top level:
Back down and on to the main pit:
Approaching the pit from the east:
But not getting too close to the edge!
On to the remains of the barracks:
And inside one of the rooms:
In another nature is taking a firm grip:
A good fireplace made of Welsh slate (what else!) was also a must:
Looking down over where the incline was:
Swinging round toward the tunnel into the pit is this building:
There’s a small stone hut lurking in the trees here:
And back down again:
And it we look a little closer to north-east, we see another slate quarry in the valley – Isallt quarry:
And looking over to our accommodation for the week:
That's all folks!
Hendre-ddu quarry is 19th century slate working in Gwynedd, North Wales. It is situated on the eastern slopes of Craig-y-garn, along the beautiful Cwm Pennant valley, just to the east of Garndolbenmaen. Slate was extracted from open workings and then taken down an incline to the main road in Cwm Pennant for onward transportation. As it developed into a deep pit working, tunnel access was added which then met the incline plane where the slate was taken down to a small mill for processing. The stone-build platform and stone retaining walls remain, although the mill was most likely of wooden construction. To the north-east end was the waterwheel. The remaining pit suggests the waterwheel could have been up to 35 feet in diameter and 5 feet wide. It was fed by a small reservoir to the north-west of the mill situated on the northern side of the incline.
As work progressed, lower adits were cut and a turbine powered mill also added at the foot of the incline. Although the exact date of the quarry’s opening is uncertain, records show that in 1861 with slate quarrying in full swing, 60 men were in the quarry’s employ and 700 tons of slate were produced.
Extract of an 1880 O/S Map already showing the quarry as open:
By 1898 with just five men working the quarry things were in the decline which is then reflected in a 1900 O/S map that shows the quarry as “disused”. Today the remains are still pretty extensive. Aside from the tell-tale waste tips that fan out over the hillside, on the top working level there’s the quarrymen’s barracks, the dressing shed and a weigh-house remain. Lower down can be found a mill, weighbridge, powder house and by the roadside, hints of the mill are also extant.
2. The Explore
Another of my continuing efforts to document the Welsh slate industry, this was a nice relaxed explore. It was in walking distance from our accommodation and with the weather being particularly nice, we set off on a family walk to this 19th century slate quarry mine. This is the first and probably last time this has been covered on here as it isn’t particularly spectacular, but serves as a good example of what a 19th century slate quarry would look like. As is often the way, subsequent research shows there was more there than we saw on the day, including the incline and lower building remains. An excuse for a walk back up there when the opportunity arises.
3. The Pictures
Walking up the track, just off it here used to be an old adit:
Looking northwards over the slate tips:
Hut on the top level:
Back down and on to the main pit:
Approaching the pit from the east:
But not getting too close to the edge!
On to the remains of the barracks:
And inside one of the rooms:
In another nature is taking a firm grip:
A good fireplace made of Welsh slate (what else!) was also a must:
Looking down over where the incline was:
Swinging round toward the tunnel into the pit is this building:
There’s a small stone hut lurking in the trees here:
And back down again:
And it we look a little closer to north-east, we see another slate quarry in the valley – Isallt quarry:
And looking over to our accommodation for the week:
That's all folks!
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