Rhosydd Quarry
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Rhosydd Quarry is a slate mine located north east of Porthmadog in north Wales.
[edit] History
The earliest workings recorded at Rhosydd date back to the 1830s when small hilltop excavations were made. By the 1850s quarrying had moved underground. By 1883 the quarry had become on of the largest underground workings in Wales outside of Blaenau Ffestiniog, with 170 chambers and shipping 5616 of finished slate.
Initially slate was sent by pack horse via Moelwyn and Cwm Maesgwm to be shipped by the Ffestiniog Railway at Penrhyndeudraeth. From 1864 connection was made to the newly opened Croesor Tramway. This was along a high tramway and a parabolic incline nearly 800 ft. long.
Slate production ceased in the early 1930s, although the site was not abandoned until shortly after World War II. The quarry was purchased by McAlpines in the 1990s but quarrying has not resumed. [1]
[edit] References
- ^ Richards, Alun John (1999). The Slate Regions of North and Mid Wales. Carreg Gwalch. ISBN 0863815529.
