Amendments to 'Slate Regions of North and Mid Wales'

Page 16 Cwm Ebol should read C1868 Cwm Ebol Tramway Horse/Gravity 3’G (re-laid 2’?) 3 inclines 1 m. Took Cwm Ebol slates to a jetty at SN702996 (Region 12)

Page 17 Chirk station was GWR NOT Cambrian INSERT New item After Glyn Valley 1875 Hendre Ddu Tramway, Horse. Later i/c 2’G no inclines c3m (+branches). Carried output of several quarries to the Mawddwy Railway at Aberangell (Region 14)

Page 21 & 24 CEFN YR ORSEDD SH637648 Putative site

Page 25 MOEL FABAN Pantdreiniog quarry was also in the co-operative (North Wales Slate Quarries)
Page 25 & 28 OGOF FAWR SH487921`Cliff working, Possibly 17th C

Page 27 PENRHYN 1930s manning neared 2000

Page 28 LLANEILIAN C10 men employed, but output trifling, mainly moss slates
BODEGRI SH340890 Putative site, tiny excavation

Page 29 LLANGRISTOS SH450736 Producing Moss slates c1864, unfulfilled plans to mechanise 1875. May have produced crude slabs
Remains a series of shallow pits to east of A5114
Allegedly slate was quarried late 18th C at Trefarthen SH490665?, but archaeological/geological evidence does not support this being a slate site.

Page 34 & 45 PARC DRYSCOL SH588645 Putative site

Page 35 BWLCH-Y-GROES Operated intermittently through 19th Cent.

Page 36 CAMBRIAN Prior to Ffridd connection dispatches via Glynrhonwy.
CEFN DDU extensions to Ffridd incline predate amalgamations, in after joining with Cwarel Fawr little use made of highest incline,
CHWAREL FAWR Dates from c1800. Like most of the uppermost quarries closed c1930. Remaains fine retaining wall for rubbish. Boiler(?) in pit bottom

Page 38 COOK & DDOL CLOSED WW1Remains possible barrracks on lower level

Page 39 DINORWIG 1938 2369 men 1846 1300 men

Page 41 DONEN LAS Remains Possible vestiges of round powder house. Tramway formation to Bryn Mawr

Page 42 GALLT-YLLAN 3 men 1938 closed WW2

Page 43/44 GLYNRHONWY ISAF First (1823 ) waterheel & sandsaw on siteof the factories. 1941 opened as a covered bomb store for RAF. Following collapse of the stuctures was an open-air store to 1943 when it became a disposal site until 1956. 1969-75 site cleared of explosive material. GLYNRHONWY UCHAF Worked by 2 men up to WW2

Page 45 MARCHLLYN. Much tip material used to make new dam, One building, electric sub-station(?) on site

Page 47 Region 3 To the extreme south of the region some slate was Ordovician. This Region pioneered the use of thinner slates. The Region (and Region 4) were known for the amount of tip reworking that occured. Para 2 Up to the mid 18th century, when it was overtaken by Penrhyn, the Nantlle area was the main north Wales producer of slate.

Page 66 Map DELTE 19

Page 67 & 68 BWLCH Y LLYN SH514555 Trial

Page 67 & 72 GORS SH512566 Trial

Page 67 19 Cefn Coed DELETE

Page 68 CEFN COED DELETE

Page 69 CILGWYN Early use of Electricity , from oil engine (1900?) GLODDFA'R COED 10 MEN IN 1938

Page 70 DOROTHEA water-wheel winding. Had 66 saws in 1939

Page 71 FRONHEULOG Closed 1939

Page 72 GWERNOR 2 saws & planer. Turbine for mill? Water wheel for pumping (& chain incline?) Oil engine for compressor.
LLWYD-COED Early user of electricity (producer gas)

Page 74 PENYRORSEDD Much degradation particularly of mills, one exit incline cut by new road
Manning 1938 351 1946 180. During 1990s about 10 men. Final closure due to collapse of a big face.

Page 76 TALYSARN G P Jones says this quarry bnefitted from being able to buy land for tiing cheaply. TAN-YR-ALLT 1938 11 men only small-scale working after WW2.

Page 77 TY MAWR WEST 2 saws Robey steam engine. TY'NYWEIRGLODD 1938 39 men

Page 79 East and South of Llyn Cwellyn the slate was Ordovician

Page 82 & 83 BWLCH DDEILIOR Should be SH557508

Page 82 & 87 MOEL ELIO SH552587 Possible trial

Page 84 BWLCH CWM LLAN Remains Near the top of the site is a trial tunnel. A wagon body shows evidnce of use for rifle practive (Home Guard?).BWLCH DDEILIOR Remains Possible vestiges of a Wheel pit and dressing sheds

Page 85 FFRIDD Established in the 18th Cent. FRON 1938 7 MEN

Page 86 GLANRAFON Material was raised out of pit by water balance. line 3 150-200 men during 1880s, peaked at 410 men in 1895 after which manning dropped dramatically other than a brief 100+ 1905-07. Para 2 line 3 much tip working in 1920s HAFODYWERN Established 18th Cent. Some work mid 1930s

Page 87 LLYN Y GADAIR The southerly workings are Gader Wyllt, nbeing originally two separate workings. The causeway was a tramway , but connction ot the NWNGR never made. MOELTRYFAN General comment "Recklessly worked" (G P Jones) This may have arisen from use of a steam navvy from 1877. this Chaplin machine is believed to have been the first used in any slate quarry.

Page 88 PLAS-Y-NANT DELETE "possibly via a feeder tramway" SUBSTI TUTE "loop" 1938 9 men, Closed WW2.

Page 89 TREFLAN Closed mid 1920's

Page 96 CLOGWYN Y FWUCH O E Hughes had 2 men underground & 1 on the surface in 1890. produced 66 tons £155

Page 101 TAL Y FAN Traces of a smithy and access tunnel. Thomas Hughes sleeper?

Page 105 &108 CWM CLOROD Putatative site
Page 105 & 118 YSTUMIAU SH731528

Page 106 BWLCH GORDINIAN 1905 Welsh Slate Quarries Ltd (Almost certainly an attempted swindle)

Page 109 CWM MACHNO Alternative name CWM PENMACHNO. Manning 1938 108 1946 75 (One of the few units to have much over half prewar workforce.

Page 116 RHIWGOCH 1890 Rhiwgoch Slate Co 13 men all underground, 95 tons £180

Page 116 RHOS 1938 52 men

Page 127 PENMORFA 1865 unsuccessful floatation Tremadoc & Ralltwen Slate Co

Page 134 & 144 NANTGWYNANT SH645505 Hone quarry
Page 134 & 146 PENYGWYRYD SH656657 Small trial

Page135 BLAEN-NANT Trial in 1861by Alan Searell of Hafod-y-llan

Page 136 CNICHT This (and Croesor Bach) were on the sett of the abortive 1863 Croiser Valley & Port Madoc Slate Company which aimed to open up the alleged 3/4 veins on the north side of the valley

Page 137 CROESOR Three shafts. Shaft three on upper incline has remains of pulleys for incline balance.

Page 141 GERYNT report that in 1871 manning was 18

Page 145 PARC There were 2 levels up A&B most work to South. 4 levels down D to G All worked to north, D also worked to South incline went to H but no work. Tunnel for Hafoty scheme level F Remains traces of reservoir for hydraulic engine and of air shafts

Page 149 ROADS AT Blaenau Ffestiniog (acknowledgements Mr.G.R.Jones)
A pre-existing road ran from Rhiwbryfdir 695461 along present streets to Four Crosses 704458 turned sharp left to cross the river Bowydd at 703453. It then continued, via traceable paths to Congl-y-wal 705443 from where it went on as the present road to Llan Ffestiniog. From Llan Ffestinog on towards Maentwrog the steep section from 698418 to 587415 was replaced about 1790 by the present better graded road.
In 1801 Diffwys quarry built a road to 705443 the first half to Tan-y-manod 708451 is now a side road, the second half is now the main road. At about the same time, Bowydd quarry built a road to Four Crosses, the lower half now forming a side street. In 1804 Manod quarry built a road (traceable as a track) to the Cwm Teigl road at 715431
Shortly after he commenced work in 1818 Samuel Holland built a road from his quarry to join the now back road at 697465. At about the same time but not directly connected to quarrying, the Bala road from Llan Ffestiniogwas abandoned between 705418 and 729419 (Still traceble) and replaced by the present route following a more northerly course.
A flurry of road building occurred in the late 1820s. Four Crosses was linked to the 1801 road at Tan-y-manod forming the present main road. Fotty quarry linked into Bowydd road to Four Crosses. Samuel Holland extended his road to his new working. A road from Cwmorthin quarry to Tan-y-grisiau was opened and Diffwys built the present road from Congl-y-wal to 695433, wher it met the new turnpike from Tan-y-grisiau to Rhyd-y-sarn 691421 (Rebuilt in the 1960s on the same line).
During the 1850s Rhiwbryfdir was linked to Tan-y-grisiau,( this road still exists but was superceded as the main route by a new road in the 1950s) A new track to Conglog quarry ran up the Orthin valley. The Blaenau to Llan Ffestiniog road between 706431and 705422 was by passed, the old route through Pandy becoming a back road. Famously, Blaenau's isolation from the north was ended by the Crimea pass. Finally, at 688415 Pont Tal-y-bont was built enabling the road to take a more direct line. Hitherto it had used the present "back road" to Maentwrog as far as 686416 where it branched south to 685415, over Pont Dol-rhiw-felen, which stands abandoned in a field, still showing evidence of widening

Page 152 New entry 25a SH726452 SOUTH POLE.
BLAEN Y CWM 1890 William Lewis of Tan y Grisau foundry had 2 men at work none underground.

Page 153 BOWYDD Should read “Amalgamated with Foty in 1870s” Had one Hunter saw and at least 4 planers. Water wheels in Upper & Middle mills 35’ x 4’ Lower Mill 40’ x 3’6”
Manning 1938 295

Page 155 BWLCH Y SLATERS Late 1930s 66 men. For art storage, access tunnel opened out. Brick, air-conditioned buildings in 6 chambers, all connected by n.g. rail.Small scale working during WW2 and into 1960s. 2001 All manufacture ceased, now only nachines are saws, Block being sent to Penrhyn quarry for reduction. Remains Fine, square Powder House has roof and much of wooden lining intact.

Page 156 CONGLOG Peak manning 182, 20 peak output 1901 312

Page 158 CWT Y BUGAIL Remains The steam engine is in fact a traction engine. It up hauled waste to its own level and possibly to an intermediate level within the pit. Also via two pulleys (in situ) it hauled block and probably rubbish from underground workings almost directly beneath it, up to the main access level. In the main pit there are remains of at least two tractors and an Austin car engine, and a lorry engine and winch which during the 1960s uphauled from undergound. There is some rail on the ground.To the west of the main pit are the earliest workings adits and long shallow tips with some buildings including a nice little one, with a fireplacehalf buried. There is a long wall with some evidence of “lean-to” dressing sheds. There is a nice powder house nearby. Slate sleepers suggest that the track gauge at this higher level was 2'3", oddly there are sawn ends at this level.
An incline leads down to the mill area with a well-preserved, second powder house tucked in against this incline. on the other side of this incline is the water source which fed the boiler and possibly the waterbance.
The adits to the north of the main working are part flooded and fall-blocked. There is a rubbish wagon and a carbide generator (for lighting?). The chambers to the west break out to bank but aare inaccessible. The chambers to the south (under the inding engine) are accessible with difficulty. The tunnel to acccess them at mill level is blocked.
1938 42 men.

Page 162 GRAIG DDU Vestiges of the producer gas plant at Lefel Dwr Oer, also remains of pillar, trench etc etc of water supply from Llyn y Manod. Upper inclne distrubed by on-going work, NOTE wall screening top of incline from weather. LLECHWEDD First electricity 1892 NOT 1890, used for pumps and a ventilating fan. Manning 1938 414 1946 75 current manning almost nominal

Page 164 MAENOFFEREN Remains Now closed, the “slot” where the upper underground incline emerges is overgrown and the adit to it is gated is overgrown. The mill remains intact, with several subsidiary buildings and the concrete pillars of an uncompleted mill. A surviving feature is the transporter from handling mill-waste wagons. Beyond the David Jones bores are signs of the surface trials made before abandonment, and a small adit where late work took place. In a little housing is nice portable steam winch and remains of big winder. The Rhiwbach No 2 incline is much overgrown with wrecked rails. Under it is a collapsed adit and a neat tramway formation and a bridge. Near the foot of No 2 are the remains of an early mill and other buildings. Near is the late road to connect with Diffwys. Also the rather earlier (1976) road connection to Llechwedd, which supplemented the Bowydd road down to the town.
MANOD Remains The workings have now been filled with waste from the Graig Ddu working. Still extant on site is a very fine example of an underground “Keyhole” pattern powder store. There is also a conventional powder house, but this may have belonged to Graig Ddu. The original road down to Llan Ffestiniog is traceable to its orginal meeting eith the CwmTeigl road at SH716431, and the subsequent route to where it crosses the railway and road at SH760437. Near this at Cae Ddu are traces of a commercial powder store. North Pole working now obliterated.
DELETE reference to South Pole

Page 167 OAKELEY In 1938 manning including Diffwys 752. 1946 432 (Including Bowydd which prewar had almost 300) 2001 all manufacture ceased block sent to Bethesda for reduction.

Page 168 The Welsh Slate Co incline remains are imediately to the north of the viaduct pillar and the those of Mathews are alongside to the south. A number of dwellings lie buried to the south of the pillar. A stile railway crossing marks the route to them and also to the FR Dinas terminus, where the loco shed is the sole relic

Page 169 RHIWBACH working in 1774 Seriously developed 1820. 1890 Ffestiniog Slate Co 10 underground 71 on the surface. produced 2260 tons valued at £7382. 1938 73 men

Page 171 FOTY Move to top of page 181. New Entry SOUTH POLE SH726452 An early working high above Cwm Teigl, Remains Enclosed working apprached by a narrow pit from where waste was tipped down hillside, Tracks and several buildings inclding possible barracks.(25a)
WRYSGAN Output 1925 & 1926 91 & 174 tons manning 13 & 18. Main mill is floor 6. Old mill (central wheel), smithy and barracks floor 3. Haulage incline is up from floor 6 (are adits below this on 7 & 8 some work floor 2 (nothing floor 1?)
. The lorry engine was never actually used to power the incline, the motor was "borrowed" from the workshop, not the mill to provide power instead. Latterly car engine(s) (MGs?) were used underground to drive ropeways'

Page 175 & 176 BRYN BUGEILIAD SH577305 Trial?
Page 175 & 177 CARTERS SH729433 Trial?
Page 175 & 180 FFRIDD LWYD SH684344 Putative site
Page 175 & 181 GELLIGRIN SH629395 Putative site
Page 175 & 181 NODDFA SH578307 Trial? TAYHIRION SH811398 Trial

Page 176 BRAICH DDU The tramway went as far as the public by-road. There is a tunnel but this was purely for drainage. Product slab.
Reopened on a small scale 2001 Shed erected for a saw.

Page 177 CAE'N Y COED This quarry is also the probable source of the Owen/Humphrey memorial of 1746 at Llandanwg church SH569283. An early example of a sawn slab and just possibly the very earliest example of power sawing
Earliest digging in gorge abreast of the mill. higher up the gorge from the "main" quarry is a little- used working connected by a fine revetted tramway and incline(with pit for underfloor sheave. Ceramic pipes and leat traces. Possible lower incline ends at a loading platform without obvious connection to mill
CHWAREL LLEW TWROG Most of the work here was done before Llew Twrog came on the scene in the 1920s. From the early 1890s until 1914 it was worked by B.L. Barrow of Matlock as MANOD MAWR. He employed 2 or 3 men, but the annnual output was a derisory couple of tons. (R.M.Williams)

Page 179 FOELGRON 4 men in late 1930s

Page 184/5 ARTHOG the tramway to the jetty was diverted to Garth in1865, closed 1869, reopened 1879 closed 1888.

Page 184 ABERGYNANTt SH677176 Putative site
Page 184 & 189 LLWYNON SH628173 Putative site

Page 188 GOLEUWERN Railway siding was taken over from McDougals, flour millers turned housing developers

Page 194 RHYD YR ONEN Also known as Bryn y Hyfrwyn Closed 11915?

Page 195 BRYNEGLWYS Closed 1946, when 5 men were employed (1938 88)

Page 199 FRONGOCH Prior to the tunnel, material was sent down an incline which spanned the railway

Page 201 RHYDYRONNEN This is presumbably the underground working which, under the name BRYNHYFWYN was owned but not being worked in 1890 by the owners of Llwyngwern.

Page 209 ABERLLEFENNI 1938 134 men 1946 70 men

Page 210 BRAICH GOCH 1938 77 men 1946 5

Page 213 CWMERAU By 1938 6 men

Page 218 LLWYNGWERN ///by late 1930s 17 men

Page 219 RATGOED Peak eLate 1930s averaged 15 men effectively work ceased 1938

Page 223 The Hendre Ddu Tramroad originally did not swing across fields to the staion but turned left at the later engine shed at SH841104, then shortly rejoined the present road through the village to a reversing loop at the school.

Page 224 New entry 21a CWM CYWARCH SH842185

Page 225 CAE ABATY Closed 1911
New entry CWM CYWARCH SH842185 Hillside working almost certainly just a trial, tramway formation, possible vestiges of part-built incline 21a

Page 226 CWMLERI 1889 worked by J Davis & Co. GARTHEINIOG. May have been working before 1870 Advertised "Chimney pieces, Billiards table beds". Remains, Enamelling house may have been opposite mill. The brick forestry house is built on the site of the manager's house. GLANDYFI 1886 Cardigan Slate Quarries Ltd 155 tons = £349. 1889 operated by John Jenkins & Peter Jones tonnage (with Cwm Leri) 310 realising £625. Several quarries on the Dyfi Estuary supplied undressed slab to the several slate works in Aberystwyth. In 1900 this amounted to nearly 1600 tons.

Pagw 227 HENDRE DDU Opened 1864. Sent slab to a number of enamellers. National Welsh Sl;ate Quarries formed in 1920 to operate here and at Nanthir, Aberangell. Late 1930s a crane from Cilgerran in Pembrokeshire (Probably Dolbadau slate quarry) but was wrecked when wooden jib fell and broke, then 17 men employed,

Page 228 MAES Y GAMFA Possibly a turbine not a water wheel. Advertised "Brewers tanks , cisterns, urinals".Final closure 1914 3 men

Page 229 MORBEN May have been very much earlier. Magazine used by Corrris & Aberllefenni SQs

Page 230 TALYMEIRYN Worked on a small scale up to at least WW1 supplying Inigo Jones' s Groeslon slate works (p72) Remains The tunnel goes to 2 chambers where there is still a stock of split slab, There is no pit but above the tunnel is a small (earlier?) open quarry. Near the tunnel adit are traces of a dressing shed. There vestiges of an incline with some bridge rail around and the abutments of a river bridge.

Page 235 & 239 CARNEDD Y CI SJ051346 V small

Page 239 CLOGAU 1838 19 men .Page 240. Frame saw has been replaced by a 2.7m dia. circular saw, the largest in the industry. Office/workshop has been rebuilt as a dwelling

.Page 242 MOEL FFERNA 1938 100 men 1946 58

Page 247 PENTREFELIN MILL Enamelling on site

Page 252 &254 FOEL CWM SION LWYD SH997314 Trial?
Page 252 & 257 LLANDDERFEL SH974361 V small late 1880s

Page 253 CLETWR 1886 W.S.Milnes t/a Llanddderfel Slate & Slab Co.3 tons recorded as sold for £9. 1890 idle

Page 254 CRAIGRHIWEIRTH. Was working in 1890 when P A LLoyd turned out 240 tons realising £480

Page 258 POWYS Revived 1909-1911 QUEENS Shown in 1890 as owned by George Holecroft of Dolgellau, but idle.

Page 263 CWMIRFON WAS underground in 1890 Roger Evans T/A Cwm Irfon Slate Co had 1 man underground & 4 on the surface, produced 90 tons fetching £220. Operated 1888-1891ESCAIRGEILIOG this is probably the Dalrhiw quarry where in 1886 R L Lloyd raised 89 tons valued at £112

Page 264 PENGEULAN 1889 Clara Thomas sold 15 tons for £32

Page 267 GR of CHWAERL GETHIN should be SH696496 CEFN COED DELETE

Page 268 GR of CWM MACHNO should be SH731470

Page 271 Porthllwyd NOT Pothllwyd New entry South Pole SH726452 10

In conjunction with index. Ranking by peak workforce. of quarries employing more than about 100 men. Generally the figures refer to the end of 19thC, but some peaked much earlier. Very brief and untypical expansions have been ignored. ( G R Jones) c3000 Dinorwig, Penrhyn. c1500 Oakeley, c500/600 Penyrorsedd, Dorothea, Llechwedd, Cwmorthin, c400/500 Talysarn, Votty & Bowydd, Maenofferen, c300/400 Bryneglwys,Cilgwyn, Diffwys. c250/300 Glanrafon, Glynrhonwy Uchaf, Penybryn. c200/250 Alexandra, Cefn Ddu, Craig Ddu, Moel Tryfan. c150/200 Aberllefenni, Braich Goch, Coed Madog, Croesor, Cwmmachno, Glynrhonwy Isaf, Moelfferna, Rhosydd. c100/150 Braich, Cambrian (Section 15), Cloddf'a Coed, Fron, Llwyngwern, Minllyn, South Dorothea, Rhiwbach, Tan-yr-allt, Tynyrweirglodd, Wrysgan

12/03