Bryn Eglwys quarry

Last updated

Bryn Eglwys
Bryn Eglwys quarry - 2008-03-18.jpg
Spoil heaps at the disused Bryn Eglwys quarry, 2008
Location
Gwynedd UK location map.svg
Schlaegel und Eisen nach DIN 21800.svg
Bryn Eglwys
Location in Gwynedd
Locationnear Abergynolwyn
County Merioneth (now Gwynedd)
Country Wales, UK
Coordinates 52°38′0″N3°55′53″W / 52.63333°N 3.93139°W / 52.63333; -3.93139
SH 693 057
Production
Products Slate
Type Quarry
History
Opened1847 (1847)
Active1847-1909, 1911-1946
Closed1946 (1946)

Bryn Eglwys quarry was a slate quarry and mine near Abergynolwyn, in Merionethshire (now part of Gwynedd), Wales. More than 300 men worked at the site, making it the principal employer in the area. Two veins of slate, known as the Broad Vein and the Narrow Vein, were worked. The geology continues eastwards towards Corris and Dinas Mawddwy, and westwards towards Tywyn. It was one of many quarries that worked these veins.

Contents

The site, which was in operation for just over 100 years, covered almost 2 sq mi (5 km2). It had several long tunnels up to 250 m (820 ft) to 350 m (1,150 ft). However, since closure all buildings have been demolished. Most of its inclines and infrastructure have become part of forestry plantations.

From 1866 until closure in 1948, the quarry was served by the narrow gauge Talyllyn Railway, which took the slate down to Tywyn for transfer to the main line railway.

History

John Pugh

In 1844 John Pugh or Pughe obtained a quarrying lease from Lewis Morris, the owner of the Bryneglwys Estate, for a term of 50 years. [1] Pugh was a local miner from Aberdyfi, who already owned other mines in the locality, including the notable Dylife lead mine, which he owned, in association with Hugh Williams, [2] from 1809 until 1858. [3] In 1846 Pugh obtained another lease, for the Cantrybedd land on the opposite side of the valley. [1] Pugh began commercial-scale quarrying in 1847 (this is recorded on a stone plaque in the quarry). [4] He sank a shaft into the Narrow Vein, which is now known as the Daylight Adit, and built a small mill nearby, which he connected to the foot of the shaft by a level. [1] He transported the finished slates by pack horses for onward transport by ship, originally over the mountain ridge to the port of Pennal, and later to the port of Aberdyfi via the Fathew Valley and along the coast. [5] [6] [7]

Aberdovey Slate Co. Ltd.

In 1863 a group of mill owners from Manchester, led by William McConnel, leased the quarry. Cotton shortages, caused by the American Civil War, had reduced the production of the mills and they were looking for other profitable enterprises. They formed the Aberdovey Slate Company Limited, to operate and manage the quarry, and planned to increase production at Bryn Eglwys. The main barriers to the quarry's expansion at the time were the transportation arrangements for finished slates, and the lack of a workforce near Bryn Eglwys. The new owners overcame the former difficulty by building the Talyllyn Railway, a narrow gauge railway which was designed by James Swinton Spooner. The railway ran from the Cantrybedd incline, which marked the edge of Bryn Eglwys, along the Galltymoelfre Tramway to the Alltwyllt incline, and thence down the Fathew valley to Tywyn, before turning south to reach Aberdyfi. The company built the village of Abergynolwyn to house their workers. [6] [8] [9] In total, the new owners invested around £160,000, equivalent to £16,700,000in 2021, in developing the quarry, building houses for quarrymen in the village of Abergynolwyn and building the railway from the quarry to Tywyn. [9]

When the Aberystwith and Welsh Coast Railway was opened between Aberdyfi and Tywyn in 1863, the Aberdovey Slate Company decided to terminate their own railway at Tywyn Wharf, a transshipment point to the coastal railway. [6] [8] [9]

The Aberdovey Slate Co. Ltd. was renamed the Abergynolwyn Slate Company Limited in 1867. [2]

McConnel era

Neither the quarry nor its associated railway were great commercial successes, and by 1879 the company had run out of funds. Both quarry and railway were put up for auction on 9 October 1879. [10] After this and a subsequent auction failed to find a bidder, William McConnel personally bought both. [10] In August 1880 a major storm burst the quarry's reservoir and required major capital to repair. [11] Nevertheless, McConnel re-organised the quarry's finances, and there was then an upturn in the slate market which allowed the quarry to expand further. [10]

McConnel died in 1902 and the quarry became the property of his son, W. H. McConnel. However, the leases on the land occupied by the quarry were close to running out, and the quarry was closed on 18 December 1909; the workers received only one day's notice of the closure. The remaining stocks at the quarry were sent down the railway, and the quarry's machinery began to be dismantled. [10]

Henry Haydn Jones (Abergynolwyn Slate & Slab Co. Ltd.) era

In 1911 the local Liberal Member of Parliament, Henry Haydn Jones, purchased the quarry for equivalent to £595,887in 2021, along with the Talyllyn Railway and the village of Abergynolwyn. He formed the Abergynolwyn Slate & Slab Company Limited, to operate the quarry, much like its predecessor, the Aberdovey Slate Company Limited. New leases were signed with the landowners and the quarry resumed production. [12]

Haydn Jones’ leases on the quarry land expired in 1941, but he continued to own and operate the quarry, with an annual tenancy. [12]

The quarry remained in production until a serious collapse on 26 December 1946; it had been unsafe for some time. The stocks were sent to Tywyn by rail, and had all cleared by 1948. [12]

After closure

Despite the closure of the quarry, Haydn Jones kept a passenger service operating on the railway until his death in 1950. The railway was taken over by a preservation group, becoming the first railway in the world to be operated by volunteers.

Bryn Eglwys was sold to the Forestry Commission, and the surviving quarry buildings were demolished in the early 1980s. [7] Some slates had already been removed from buildings in 1975–1976, and these were used as platform edging for extending the platform at Abergynolwyn. [13] A series of footpaths was created from Nant Gwernol [14] starting from the Alltwylt Incline and along the Galltymoelfre Tramway, though the path diverges from the Cantrybedd Incline due to a missing bridge.

Geology

Geology of Bryn Eglwys Bryn Eglwys Geology.png
Geology of Bryn Eglwys

Three parallel veins of Ordovician [15] slate run through mid Wales, from the region north of Dinas Mawddwy through Corris and south west towards Tywyn. These veins are the southern edge of the Harlech Dome anticline which surfaces in the north at Blaenau Ffestiniog. [15] Where the veins pass through the site of Bryn Eglwys, they are inclined at an angle of about 30 degrees from the horizontal, sloping downwards to the south-west. The widest of these veins is the 600 feet (180 m) thick Broad Vein that lies to the north of the site and consists of layers of hard, grey shale with patches of slate. The Broad Vein slate is hard and durable, but does not split into thin sections, so is generally unsuitable for use as roofing slates. [16]

The Red Vein (also known as the Middle Vein) lies about 100 yards (91 m) south of the Broad Vein. It is about 60 feet (18 m) thick but contains low-quality, friable slate that contains a large number of fossils. This vein was not worked commercially at Bryn Eglwys. [16] The British Geological Survey now considers the Middle Vein to be a part of the Broad Vein, not a separate formation. [17]

The third vein is the Narrow Vein which lies about 100 yards (91 m) south of the Middle Vein and is also about 60 feet (18 m) thick. It contains the highest quality slate of the three veins and the most commercially valuable, being easy to split into roofing slates and slabs and both durable and strong. The vein is mostly a continuous bed of slate, containing only the occasional seam of quartz. However, the quality of the rock varies over the depth of the vein, with the best material being found nearest the surface. [16]

Description

Map of Bryn Eglwys showing major tramways and workings Bryn Eglwys Map.png
Map of Bryn Eglwys showing major tramways and workings
The top of The Alltwyllt Incline, the first incline leading to the quarry from Nant Gwernol station / sidings GalltymoelfreTramway.jpg
The top of The Alltwyllt Incline, the first incline leading to the quarry from Nant Gwernol station / sidings

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Talyllyn Railway</span> Narrow gauge railway in north Wales

The Talyllyn Railway is a narrow gauge preserved railway in Wales running for 7+1⁄4 miles (12 km) from Tywyn on the Mid-Wales coast to Nant Gwernol near the village of Abergynolwyn. The line was opened in 1865 to carry slate from the quarries at Bryn Eglwys to Tywyn, and was the first narrow gauge railway in Britain authorised by Act of Parliament to carry passengers using steam haulage. Despite severe underinvestment, the line remained open, and in 1951 it became the first railway in the world to be preserved as a heritage railway by volunteers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Narrow Gauge Railway Museum</span> Railway museum in Gwynedd, Wales

The Narrow Gauge Railway Museum is a purpose-built museum dedicated to narrow-gauge railways situated at the Tywyn Wharf station of the Talyllyn Railway in Tywyn, Gwynedd, Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aberllefenni quarries</span> Three slate quarries in north Wales

Aberllefenni quarry is the collective name of three slate quarries, Foel Grochan, Hen Gloddfa and Ceunant Ddu, located in Cwm Hengae, just to the west of Aberllefenni, Gwynedd, North Wales. It was the longest continually operated slate mine in the world until its closure in 2003. Foel Grochan is the quarry on the north side of the valley, facing Ceunant Ddu and Hen Gloddfa on the south; all three were worked as a single concern throughout their history. Rock was mainly extracted underground, though all three quarries had open pits as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Haydn Jones</span> British politician

Sir Henry Haydn Jones was a Welsh Liberal Party politician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abergynolwyn</span> Village in North Wales

Abergynolwyn is a village in southern Gwynedd, Wales, located at the confluence of the Nant Gwernol and the Afon Dysynni. The population of the community which is named after the village of Llanfihangel-y-Pennant was 339 at the 2011 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pendre railway station</span> Railway station in Tywyn, UK

Pendre railway station is a station on the Talyllyn Railway in Tywyn, Gwynedd in mid-Wales. It is 0.42 miles (0.68 km) from Tywyn Wharf, which is the primary station and western terminus of the railway. Pendre is the site of the railway's locomotive and carriage sheds, and engineering works. Passenger trains stop at Pendre by request only.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhydyronen railway station</span>

Rhydyronen railway station is a request stop on the Talyllyn Railway, near Tywyn, Gwynedd in mid-Wales. It was built in 1867 to serve local farms, and the village of Bryn-crug.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dolgoch railway station</span> Railway station in Gwynedd, Wales

Dolgoch railway station is a station on the Talyllyn Railway between Tywyn and Abergynolwyn, Gwynedd in north-Wales. It is 4 miles 72 chains from Tywyn Wharf. Unlike most places on the line, the station was built for tourist traffic, for visitors to the local Dolgoch Falls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abergynolwyn railway station</span> Heritage railway station in Gwynedd, Mid-Wales

Abergynolwyn railway station is a station on the Talyllyn Railway near Abergynolwyn, Gwynedd, in Mid-Wales. It is 6.55 miles (10.54 km) from Tywyn Wharf. The name 'Abergynolwyn' means 'Mouth-of-the-River-with-a-Whirlpool'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nant Gwernol railway station</span> Railway station near Abergynolwyn, Wales

Nant Gwernol railway station is the eastern terminus of the Talyllyn Railway near Abergynolwyn, Gwynedd in mid-Wales. It is 7 miles, 28 chains (11.83 km) from Tywyn Wharf. Nant Gwernol station was opened in 1976; before 1976 this upper part of the line had only been used for goods services.

William McConnel was a British industrialist and mill-owner from Lancashire, England. He founded the Aberdovey Slate Company that ran the Bryn Eglwys slate quarry from 1863 onwards and oversaw the construction of the associated Talyllyn Railway.

<i>Sir Haydn</i> (locomotive) Preserved British steam locomotive

Sir Haydn is a narrow gauge steam locomotive, built by Hughes's Locomotive & Tramway Engine Works, Loughborough in 1878. It operated on the Corris Railway in Wales, until closure in 1948, and since 1951 has operated on the nearby Talyllyn Railway. It has carried the operating number 3 under four successive owners.

<i>Edward Thomas</i> (locomotive) Preserved British steam locomotive

Edward Thomas is a narrow gauge steam locomotive. Built by Kerr Stuart & Co. Ltd. at the California Works, Stoke-on-Trent in 1921, it was delivered new to the Corris Railway where it ran until 1948. After that railway closed, the locomotive was brought to the Talyllyn Railway in 1951, then restored, and remains in working order at the heritage railway. It has carried the operating number 4 under four successive owners.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tal-y-llyn, Gwynedd</span> Human settlement in Wales

Tal-y-llyn, or Talyllyn, is a small hamlet and former parish in the community of Llanfihangel-y-Pennant in Gwynedd, Wales, situated at the end of Tal-y-llyn Lake close to the village of Abergynolwyn. The parish covered an area of 36,000 acres (15,000 ha). The River Dysynni flows out of the lake at this point, flowing down to enter Cardigan Bay north of Tywyn. Another lake known as Llyn y Tri Greyenyn or Llyn Bach was formerly located close to the border with the parish of Dolgellau.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hengwrt</span> Mansion near Dolgellau in Meirionnydd, Wales

Hengwrt was a mansion near Dolgellau in Meirionnydd, Gwynedd. It lay in the parish of Llanelltyd near the confluence of the River Mawddach and River Wnion, near Cymer Abbey. With medieval origins, it was rebuilt or remodelled on several occasions before being demolished in 1962. It is remembered as the original home of the important collection of the Peniarth Manuscripts, now in the National Library of Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Broad Vein Mudstone Formation</span>

The Broad Vein Mudstone Formation is an Ordovician lithostratigraphic group in Mid Wales. The rock of the formation is silty mudstone, intensely bioturbated in places. It varies in colour from a pale to a medium blue. This formation has been commercially quarried as slate in several locations along its length. The formation is between 400 metres (1,300 ft) and 560 metres (1,840 ft) thick and runs from Dinas Mawddwy south-west to Cardigan Bay at Tywyn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Narrow Vein Mudstone Formation</span>

The Narrow Vein Mudstone Formation is an Ordovician lithostratigraphic group in Mid Wales. The rock of the formation is silty, homogeneous or finely-laminated mudstone. It generally a medium blue colour. This formation has been commercially quarried as slate in several locations along its length. The formation is between 400 metres (1,300 ft) and 560 metres (1,840 ft) thick and runs from Dinas Mawddwy south-west to Cardigan Bay at Tywyn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dolgoch quarry, Gwynedd</span> Disused slate quarry in Mid Wales

Dolgoch slate quarry was a slate quarry in Mid Wales, approximately halfway between Bryn-crug and Abergynolwyn. The quarry was named after a nearby stream, the Nant Dolgoch. 'Dol goch' is Welsh for 'red meadow'.

Railway with a Heart of Gold is a 1965 short documentary film about the Talyllyn Railway in Mid-Wales, filmed by American filmmaker Kit Davidson. Filmed in 1953, it portrays the operation of the railway and experiences of the volunteers in the early years of its preservation.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Welsh Mines Society June 2004 field meet notes" (PDF). Welsh Mines Society. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 February 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  2. 1 2 Holmes, Alan T.; Thomas, Dick (1977). Quarry tracks, Village ways – A descriptive history of Bryneglywys Quarry and Abergynolwyn Village. Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society.
  3. ↑ Fisk, Stephen (June 2009). "Dylife". Abandoned Communities. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  4. ↑ Talyllyn Railway – narrow-gauge steam through 100 years. David and Charles (Publishers) Limited. 1983. p. 6.
  5. ↑ "History – Part 1: The Quarry at Bryneglwys". The Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  6. 1 2 3 Rolt, L.T.C. (1953). Railway Adventure. History Press. ISBN   9780752455785.
  7. 1 2 "Bryneglwys Slate Quarry (40589)". Coflein. RCAHMW . Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  8. 1 2 Boyd, James I.C. (1988). The Talyllyn railway. Wild Swan Publications Ltd. ISBN   0-906867-46-0.
  9. 1 2 3 "History – Part 2: The Railway is Built". The Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society. Archived from the original on 1 January 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "History – Part 4: The McConnel Era". The Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  11. ↑ Castellan, Eddie (December 2018). "Slates in the Shadows: The Talyllyn's lost quarries". Talyllyn News (The quarterly newsletter of the Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society). No. 260. pp. 39–42.
  12. 1 2 3 "History – Part 5: Haydn Jones buys the quarry and railway". The Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  13. ↑ Potter, D. (1990). The Talyllyn Railway. David St John Thomas. pp. 167–168. ISBN   0-946537-50-X.
  14. ↑ Talyllyn handbook. The Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society. 1994. p. 21.
  15. 1 2 Richards, Alun John (1999). The Slate Regions of North and Mid Wales, and their Railways. Carreg Gwalch. ISBN   0-86381-552-9.
  16. 1 2 3 Rolt, L.T.C. (1965). Talyllyn Century. David and Charles (Publishers) Limited.
  17. ↑ "Broad Vein Mudstone Formation". BGS on-line lexicon of rock units. British Geological Survey . Retrieved 6 January 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.