A walk up this desolate valley near blaenau ffestiniog, north wales, to see the old slate quarry workings. Jan 12, 2018 a walk up this desolate valley near blaenau ffestiniog, north wales, to see the old slate quarry workings. She experienced many more underground adventures such as the throughround trip of cwmorthin slate quarry, and appeared to enjoy every moment of it. In september 1979 i turned up at my old school, dowdales comprehensive in daltoninfurness, cumbria, to enrol in a nightschool class on mining history. Cwmorthin slate quarry 1994 company limited free company information from companies house including registered office address, filing history. A vector image of a star to represent action to save this item. Cwmorthin slate quarries are located in the mountains above blaenau ffestiniog in north wales. There are enough names in welsh history to wrap ones head around without mentioning all these other nonhistorical, nonwelsh names. Geologist dyfed elisgruffydd, very familiar with the area since the 1940s when his father was minister at tanygrisiaus carmel chapel, summarises the detail of the cwms formation and its basic geology.
An upland wander around the abandoned quarries of cwmorthin, rhosydd and wrysgan, with the shells of many buildings still standing. List of books and articles about welsh history online. Despite all this the quarry had a very good safety record, immeasurably better than cwmorthin quarry known colloquially as the slaughterhouse. A handbook 6th revised edition by mcneill, william h. Most of the adits on the plan are no longer open the two that are are the back veins 1 north. Geotrips the abandoned slate quarries near tanygrisiau cwmorthin quarry a walk from tanygrisiau, mon, 6 may 20 by gareth james. Wales is bounded by the irish sea n, by the bristol channel s, by the english unitary authority of chester west and chester and counties of shropshire. It is a major tourist attraction located mainly within the snowdonia national park. Whether this ever happens depends on many factors, however such a development would change the unique character of this site for ever. Cwmorthin issa was rented by robert humphreys for the slightly lesser sum of. The line is single track throughout with four intermediate passing places. Book and winner of the national intelligence book prize and. Cwmorthin quarry incline is where the 1850 tramway from the cwmorthin quarry, best seen from the area of penstocks road crossing, comes down to the railway immediately above footbrige 1 tanygrisiau. There is a further incline on this tramway just below cwmorthin quarry.
The first mile of the line out of porthmadog runs atop an embankment called the cob, which is the dyke of the traeth mawr polder. Jan 25, 2007 spanning prehistoric hill forts and roman ruins to the reformation, the industrial revolution and the series of strikes by welsh miners in the late twentieth century, this is the definitive history of an enduring people. Slate extraction began at cwmorthin in 1810, when a small quarry was opened on the site by the casson family who were also working the diphwys casson quarry, further to the east. Cwmorthin slate quarry cwmorthin is just one of several slate quarries around the town which roofed the world blaenau ffestioniog. Popular welsh history books meet your next favorite book. Oral history, as the following article outlines, has them living there for eight. Cwmorthin quarry, tanygrisiau, blaenau ffestiniog, gwynedd, wales, uk. It was built in the 1840s or 1850s, rising through two inclined planes to reach the main cwmorthin quarry mill and its internal incline which rose from floor 1 to floor 8. Cwmorthin slate quarry 1994 company limited filing history. Carol has given me permission to reproduce some of the pictures and story. I glance at my ordnance survey map and discover my valley cwmorthin.
Derelictplaces is a forum for people with an interest in the history and documentation of disused, derelict and abandoned buildings to come together and share their experiences, photography and historical. The four ancient books of wales black book of carmarthen. Spanning prehistoric hill forts and roman ruins to the reformation, the industrial revolution and the series of strikes by welsh miners in the late twentieth century, this is the definitive history of an enduring people. Two of the five blaenau ffestiniog slate veins outcropped near where the quarry started, and it is not known whether the early workings were on the old vein or the back vein, as all evidence has been destroyed. Cwmorthin quarry was a slate quarry west of the village of tanygrisiau, north wales. Cofio cwmorthin remembered is a voluntary group dedicated to the preservation of cwmorthins heritage and the history of its people in partnership with antur stiniog cyf the group is in the process of applying for a heritage lottery fund grant in order to preserve the buildings from further deterioration.
Cwmorthin was first worked in the 19th century and remained in use through until the end of the 20th century, although on a much smaller scale. In the cwmorthin quarry estate rent books for 1902 we have john phillips listed as. It was mentioned in the 1850 edition of cliffes the book of north wales, and the ffestiniog. This single track incline was originally built by the conglog quarry located further up cwmorthin near rhosydd in the mid 1870s as part of their tramway along the western shore of llyn cwmorthin. Cwmorthin slate quarry access information welsh mines. Cwmorthin quarry, tanygrisiau, blaenau ffestiniog, gwynedd. Cwmorthin from tanygrisiau in walkers guides on june 15, 2009 at 9. History slate extraction began at cwmorthin in 1810, when a small quarry was opened on the site 1 by the casson family who were also working the diphwys casson quarry, further to the east. A vector image of star to represent action to save this item login to save this item. Ben walsh has 52 books on goodreads with 70 ratings. As such, the title of the book might be thought to do the authors achievement a disservice. Media in category cwmorthin quarry the following files are in this category, out of total. Hello and welcome to the friends of cwmorthin website. Cofio cwmorthin remembered is a voluntary group dedicated to the preservation of cwmorthin s heritage and the history of its people in partnership with antur stiniog cyf the group is in the process of applying for a heritage lottery fund grant in order to preserve the buildings from further deterioration.
Stretching from the ice ages to the present day, this masterful account traces the political, social and cultural history of the land that has come to be called wales. Most of the adits on the plan are no longer open the two that are are the back veins 1 north, more commonly referred to as lake level, and the old veins 2 south, more commonly. Programme of the cwmorthin, rhosydd, wrysgan and conglog. The social history of the wider sphere that the quarrymen existed. A final book, r merfyn joness the north wales quarrymen. It was built in the 1840s or 1850s, rising through two inclined planes to reach the main cwmorthin quarry mill and its internal incline which rose from. Dennis journal of book of mormon studies 45 o that we, the welsh, might have the book of mormon in our own tongue, so that we might have greater light and comforts on our sojourn. Visited with walsh and rod history cwmorthin was run by several different companies as a venture in its own right during the 1800s. Cwmorthin is regarded as a classic example of a glaciated cwm. Slate was first discovered here in the 1830s when quarrying commenced on a very small scale. The ruined chapel is called capel rhosydd, and was the only place of worship for miners and their families.
The abandoned slate quarries near tanygrisiau geotrips. A coloured composite plan of cwmorthin is available for download below as a pdf file. In my visit to it i descended through woods on a steep road into a very deep but narrow valley which i crossed and began a very hazardous and fatiguing ascent up the rocky front of a lofty mountain. The earlier underground workings started at lake level, so called due to the entrance being just above the surface of the nearby llyn cwmorthin, and ascended upwards in the mountain ultimately for 8 floors in both the old and back vein. Two of the five blaenau ffestiniog slate veins outcropped near where the quarry started, and it is not known whether the early workings were on the old.
Wales, welsh cymru, western peninsula and political division principality of great britain 2011 pop. If i have any pet peeves about the many history books i read, it is a history book where the author wishes to name a plethora of historians with which to argue or agree. Rent books of the brogyntyn estate catalogue the following ownership. The cwmorthin slate quarry cwmorthin is about 45 minutes drive away, but well worth a visit. Thirty years on cwmorthin revisited because theyre there. The tramway was extended in 1874 to also serve conglog quarry, which required a further short incline at the top end. However one sobering statistic puts this in context.
It is one of a number of slate mines that circle the town, most of which were enormous enterprises in their day. May 06, 20 geotrips the abandoned slate quarries near tanygrisiau cwmorthin quarry a walk from tanygrisiau, mon, 6 may 20 by gareth james. The north wales quarry hospitals and the health and. These serve to underline the earlier point that this is truly a total history by an organic intellectual. Pic 3 cwmorthin quarry lake incline 1982 looking up the lake incline with the afon cwmorthin pouring out of llyn cwmorthin above. Cwmorthin bridge over the afon cwmorthin is just a few yards on the porthmadog side of tanygrisiau station. Price new from used from paperback, import please retry.
It is generally a quarry in name only, but a mine in nature, as almost all of the slate extraction was underground. The first major workings were at a site known as the west twll twll pit or hole, begun in the 1840s, about a mile south and nearly 300 feet higher than the final main workings at bwlch cwmorthin. Effectively the final part of the deviation, work on the bridge started at easter 1976 and it was only a matter of weeks before the abutments were cast, the 3 concrete beams 55 long and 3 high arriving on lorries on 27th july. Page 363 firth, on which was a royal castle called blackness, where probably was the ynys eiddin yn y gogled mentioned in the bonedd y saint. Thanks also to andrew roberts of greaves welsh slate for providing the slate block on which the plaques have been mounted and to len at maricraft ltd for making the plaques. A short history of ireland this third edition of john obeirne ranelaghs classic history of ireland incorporates contemporary political and economic. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Effectively the final part of the deviation, work on the bridge started at easter 1976 and it was only a matter of weeks before the abutments were cast, the 3 concrete beams 55 long and 3 high arriving on lorries on 27th july the waterfall adjacent to this bridge is very popular.
The line was completed by 1850, when it was mentioned in cliffes the book of north wales. You are welcome to use this album for uploading archive or historical images of cwmorthin. Book and winner of the national intelligence book prize and thatchers people 1991,afinancial times best book. A history of wales by john davies, the last king of wales. Otherhistorical region names associated with this locality. Media in category cwmorthin waterfall the following 7 files are in this category, out of 7 total.
Two of the five blaenau ffestiniog slate veins outcropped near where the quarry started, and it is not known whether the early workings were on the old vein. Cwmorthin slate quarry 1994 company limited free company information from companies house including registered office address, filing history, accounts, annual return, officers, charges, business activity. Photos, maps, personal memories and local books of llyn cwmorthin. Historic and archive photos of cwmorthin slate quarry. Books by ben walsh author of gcse modern world history. Before they went to ruin, there were little houses here, the original ones dating back to the early 1800s. This would entail building a new road up cwmorthin and to extract the slate using modern earth moving machinery. Cwmorthin terrace on the left at the base of the lake housed workers and their families.
Building a coracle a vector image of a star to represent action to save. Francis frith the uks leading publisher of local photographs since 1860. Cwmorthin slate quarry is a substantial disused slate mine found on the shores of llyn cwmorthin above the town of blaenau ffestiniog, north wales. Llyn cwmorthin and the magazine at cwmorthin mine archive or historic photograph of cwmorthin on the mining history web site uk. Cwmorthin slate quarry 1994 company limited filing. Ben walshs most popular book is gcse modern world history. Thanks also to andrew roberts of greaves welsh slate for providing the slate block on which the plaques have been mounted and to. Also, the book of the doctrines which would certainly provide teaching to the officers of the church of jesus. Cofio cwmorthin remembered would like to thank all the local people and businesses who donated the money for the memorial plaques to be made. Llyn cwmorthin photos, maps, books, memories francis frith. Welsh mines society spring 2009 3 boethcwm croesor tramway tunnel, having slipped away from john knight who was taking care of her while i explored the tunnel. Rhydddu, 1881, the bugail slate quarry, ffestiniog, 1887, the cwmorthin.
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