Quarry Hill was named in Saxon times (Photo Parish Council)
Quarrying in Box After 1800
David Pollard, January 2014
To illustrate David's article, we are delighted to reproduce Derek Hawkins' photos of Bath Stone quarries, an industry that was so important to Box
There's a lot more information and many pictures about the quarry industry for you to enjoy at Derek's fabulous website: www.choghole.co.uk
History [1]
It was the opening of two canals, the Kennet & Avon Canal and the Wilts & Berks Canal, that offered the possibility of selling Box stone on a national scale at a price affordable by most people, a penny a ton per mile.
But it was the making of the railway tunnel between 1836 and 1841 that led to the great expansion in underground quarrying in Box and Corsham, in particular the sinking of shafts along the line of the tunnel across Box Hill revealed the extent of the freestone beds eastwards.
It was the opening of two canals, the Kennet & Avon Canal and the Wilts & Berks Canal, that offered the possibility of selling Box stone on a national scale at a price affordable by most people, a penny a ton per mile.
But it was the making of the railway tunnel between 1836 and 1841 that led to the great expansion in underground quarrying in Box and Corsham, in particular the sinking of shafts along the line of the tunnel across Box Hill revealed the extent of the freestone beds eastwards.
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The eastern third of the tunnel was wholly or partially in the Bath stone beds, the contractors for this portion were William Jones Brewer, a Box quarrymaster and Thomas Lewis, a Bath builder. Stone from their part of the tunnel was raised by steam power and used elsewhere on the works.
The area became one of the largest stone mines in the world. |
Largest stone mine in UK possibly in |
The village was dramatically altered in a way totally different to its previous history: Box and Quarry Hills being new residential areas. By 1862 Randell, Saunders & Co (founded about 1844) had opened 5 miles of tunnels and by 1864 100,000 tons of stone were being transported annually across the UK. Most of Box and Corsham was concentrated on supporting the industry, which generated considerable local employment and profits.
By the mid 1880s the competition between the many quarry businesses was becoming ruinous; in December 1887 seven local firms, Pictor & Sons; Stone Brothers Ltd; Randell, Saunders & Co Ltd;, Isaac Sumsion; Corsham Bath Stone Co Ltd; R J Marsh Ltd; and Samuel Rowe Noble amalgamated to form the Bath Stone Firms Ltd. In 1898 they acquired their first Portland stone business; by 1904 they dominated the Portland stone trade; and in 1911 the company changed its name to the Bath & Portland Stone Firms Ltd.
Click on Thumbnails to Enlarge Pictures |
Yockney & Co., stayed aloof from the 1887 amalgamation, and new firms emerged including Marsh, Son & Gibbs Ltd, Northey Stone Company Ltd, Bath & Corsham Freestone Quarries Ltd. After 1929 only the Yockney & Hartham Park Stone Company was left; it was taken over by the Bath & Portland Stone Firms in 1941 and wound up in 1959.
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Box Field Quarry
This was almost certainly the first major underground quarry at Box, it comprised several very large chambers including the well known Cathedral, 60 ft high and an estimated 200 ft long and 25 ft wide. The quarry which was accessed from two vertical shafts, began shortly before November 1828 by William Jones Brewer and was worked to about 1849. It came into the hands of Pictor & Sons who probably used it to gain access to their adjoining mineral. |
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Corsham Down Quarry (also known as Tunnel Quarry)
Also known at various times as No. 7 Quarry (because of its proximity to No. 7 shaft of the Box Tunnel), Pockeredge Quarry and Tunnel Quarry, it was opened by Randell, Saunders & Co, between 1839 and 1844 as a direct result of the eastwards discovery of Bath stone by the Box Tunnel works.
This was the first modern quarry as it pioneered new features that became the industry standard well into the twentieth century, among them were 2 feet 5.5 inch (750mm) gauge tramways, slope shafts and steam powered shaft haulage. A unique feature was the mainline siding into the quarry, initially broad gauge it was later narrowed and extended up the cutting to Corsham station in 1877.
Also known at various times as No. 7 Quarry (because of its proximity to No. 7 shaft of the Box Tunnel), Pockeredge Quarry and Tunnel Quarry, it was opened by Randell, Saunders & Co, between 1839 and 1844 as a direct result of the eastwards discovery of Bath stone by the Box Tunnel works.
This was the first modern quarry as it pioneered new features that became the industry standard well into the twentieth century, among them were 2 feet 5.5 inch (750mm) gauge tramways, slope shafts and steam powered shaft haulage. A unique feature was the mainline siding into the quarry, initially broad gauge it was later narrowed and extended up the cutting to Corsham station in 1877.
Spring Quarry
This quarry was opened by Pictor & Sons in 1855-56 just west of Yule Spring Lane, Corsham. It soon became known as Waterhole; it was wet and flooded, thus after 1869 a new slope shaft was sunk into the workings above the flood level some way west of the waterhole shaft. It grew into a very large and successful quarry, the workings extend westwards into Box parish, digging ended in 1939.
This quarry was opened by Pictor & Sons in 1855-56 just west of Yule Spring Lane, Corsham. It soon became known as Waterhole; it was wet and flooded, thus after 1869 a new slope shaft was sunk into the workings above the flood level some way west of the waterhole shaft. It grew into a very large and successful quarry, the workings extend westwards into Box parish, digging ended in 1939.
Clift Quarry, Box Hill
Around 1856 Pictor & Sons drove a heading out of their Tyning Quarry (hitherto accessed from Box Field Quarry) to the side of the Clift at the side of the Turnpike (now A4) Road. Workshops to maintain quarry plant were built here and a tramway laid down to a wharf on the main line just west of the tunnel mouth. A small vertical boiler steam locomotive hauled trolleys underground and out to the roadside but it did not venture down the tramway to the wharf. After several decades of service the loco was sold and used elsewhere.
The quarry which dug the very durable Box Ground Stone closed in 1968, Box Ground Stone is now dug at nearby Hartham Park Underground Quarry on the western outskirts of Corsham.
Local anecdotes recall that the tramway ran down to a horse trough before branching right under the road to Box Wharf in the centre of the village. Horses were watered at the trough after the working day. Another local legend has it that miners would enter Clift Quarry and walk through the passageways to Westwells a mile and a half away.[5]
Click on the thumbnail pictures below left to see Derek Hawkin's fabulous photographs of Clift.
Around 1856 Pictor & Sons drove a heading out of their Tyning Quarry (hitherto accessed from Box Field Quarry) to the side of the Clift at the side of the Turnpike (now A4) Road. Workshops to maintain quarry plant were built here and a tramway laid down to a wharf on the main line just west of the tunnel mouth. A small vertical boiler steam locomotive hauled trolleys underground and out to the roadside but it did not venture down the tramway to the wharf. After several decades of service the loco was sold and used elsewhere.
The quarry which dug the very durable Box Ground Stone closed in 1968, Box Ground Stone is now dug at nearby Hartham Park Underground Quarry on the western outskirts of Corsham.
Local anecdotes recall that the tramway ran down to a horse trough before branching right under the road to Box Wharf in the centre of the village. Horses were watered at the trough after the working day. Another local legend has it that miners would enter Clift Quarry and walk through the passageways to Westwells a mile and a half away.[5]
Click on the thumbnail pictures below left to see Derek Hawkin's fabulous photographs of Clift.
Hazelbury Quarry
Box Hill was originally known as Hazelbury, as were the quarries there, the name bury denotes an ancient earthwork. In the 1500s one quarry at Hazelbury was known as Castle Dyke Quarr. By the 1800s the Hazelbury name seems to have gone out of use.
Following the closure of Clift Quarry in 1968 an attempt was made to supply Box Ground Stone by uncapping part of the Tyning-Clift Quarry and digging the pillars left by the old men to hold up the ground. This new quarry was called Hazelbury Quarry, the venture was not successful.
Box Hill was originally known as Hazelbury, as were the quarries there, the name bury denotes an ancient earthwork. In the 1500s one quarry at Hazelbury was known as Castle Dyke Quarr. By the 1800s the Hazelbury name seems to have gone out of use.
Following the closure of Clift Quarry in 1968 an attempt was made to supply Box Ground Stone by uncapping part of the Tyning-Clift Quarry and digging the pillars left by the old men to hold up the ground. This new quarry was called Hazelbury Quarry, the venture was not successful.
Kingsdown Quarries
Kingsdown was a less important working, it was not viable to lay down trolley roads (tramways) and the stone was carried away by horse drawn wagons or carts, it was the last quarry to do this. Parts of the quarry were worked by up to three different quarrymasters at the same time, they all shared the main haul road in and out of the quarry.
From 1886 George Wilbraham Northey, Esq leased a part to Richard Joseph Marsh and Company Ltd, in December 1887 this was taken over by the Bath Stone Firms Ltd. Marsh then formed a new company named Marsh, Son and Gibbs Ltd, who worked another part of Kingsdown Quarry, and their business was bought by the Bath Stone Firms Ltd in 1909.
A Box quarryman named George Butt also worked part of Kingsdown Quarry, after his death the business continued under the style of George Butt and Sons until 1932. The last newcomer to dig stone in Kingsdown Quarry was A W Angell of Bathford from 1921 to 1926.
Kingsdown was a less important working, it was not viable to lay down trolley roads (tramways) and the stone was carried away by horse drawn wagons or carts, it was the last quarry to do this. Parts of the quarry were worked by up to three different quarrymasters at the same time, they all shared the main haul road in and out of the quarry.
From 1886 George Wilbraham Northey, Esq leased a part to Richard Joseph Marsh and Company Ltd, in December 1887 this was taken over by the Bath Stone Firms Ltd. Marsh then formed a new company named Marsh, Son and Gibbs Ltd, who worked another part of Kingsdown Quarry, and their business was bought by the Bath Stone Firms Ltd in 1909.
A Box quarryman named George Butt also worked part of Kingsdown Quarry, after his death the business continued under the style of George Butt and Sons until 1932. The last newcomer to dig stone in Kingsdown Quarry was A W Angell of Bathford from 1921 to 1926.
Longsplatt Quarry
The Longsplatt Quarry started work in 1890. It was originally an open-cast working which later had a slope shaft added to allow deeper excavation into the seam. There were two entrances, one of which is still remaining as just rough ground. It was closed in 1920 and the area made fully residential.
The Longsplatt Quarry started work in 1890. It was originally an open-cast working which later had a slope shaft added to allow deeper excavation into the seam. There were two entrances, one of which is still remaining as just rough ground. It was closed in 1920 and the area made fully residential.
Other Box Quarries
A number of other entrances and workings are named as Box Quarries, most at Box Hill including: Eastgate (aka Strong's), Northgate, the Backdoor, Lady Hamilton's Hole I; and at Quarry Hill: Lady Hamilton's Hole II, Westgate (aka Noble's), Bridgegate and Jack's Workings (named after Jack Dancey).[8]
A number of other entrances and workings are named as Box Quarries, most at Box Hill including: Eastgate (aka Strong's), Northgate, the Backdoor, Lady Hamilton's Hole I; and at Quarry Hill: Lady Hamilton's Hole II, Westgate (aka Noble's), Bridgegate and Jack's Workings (named after Jack Dancey).[8]
Stone Wharves in Central Box
Several stone mason shops existed in the centre of the village where the stone was cut down to a specified size, particularly in the 1920s when larger blocks could be brought to the surface. There were also machine shops repairing carriages, steam engines and cranes.
Several stone mason shops existed in the centre of the village where the stone was cut down to a specified size, particularly in the 1920s when larger blocks could be brought to the surface. There were also machine shops repairing carriages, steam engines and cranes.
Conclusion
There is now no quarry industry left in the village. It lasted a century and a half, brought massive employment to the area and spawned traditions and stories that we are keen to remember. Do you have ancestors who might have worked in the 60 miles of underground tunnels that once existed?[9] Do you recognise anyone in any of the pictures or know of anyone who might be able to help?
Can you tell us about the growth of Box Hill or the events when the established church refused to allow non-Conformist quarry workers to settle in the centre of Box? If so, we would be delighted to publish your story of this fascinating period.
References
[1] Some extracts are also from GM Huggins and RF Pickford, Bath Stone: A Short History, 1975; and Mike Breakspear, A Chronological History of Bath Stone Quarrying, 1998, Cerberus Speleological Society, Vol. 24, Number 3
[3] Liz Price, Bath Freestone Workings, 1984, The Resurgence Press, p.20
[5] RJ Tucker, Box Freestone Mines, 1966, Free Troglophile Association, p.16
[6] William Ball Stower was appointed foreman sometime after 1881 but before 1891, so this photo could be c1890. The driver of the loco at LH rear is George Mould. What was the occasion? Who is the man with the Gladstone bag?
[7] Liz Price, Bath Freestone Workings, p.48
[8] Liz Price, Bath Freestone Workings, p.53-55
[9] Liz Price, Bath Freestone Workings, p.15
There is now no quarry industry left in the village. It lasted a century and a half, brought massive employment to the area and spawned traditions and stories that we are keen to remember. Do you have ancestors who might have worked in the 60 miles of underground tunnels that once existed?[9] Do you recognise anyone in any of the pictures or know of anyone who might be able to help?
Can you tell us about the growth of Box Hill or the events when the established church refused to allow non-Conformist quarry workers to settle in the centre of Box? If so, we would be delighted to publish your story of this fascinating period.
References
[1] Some extracts are also from GM Huggins and RF Pickford, Bath Stone: A Short History, 1975; and Mike Breakspear, A Chronological History of Bath Stone Quarrying, 1998, Cerberus Speleological Society, Vol. 24, Number 3
[3] Liz Price, Bath Freestone Workings, 1984, The Resurgence Press, p.20
[5] RJ Tucker, Box Freestone Mines, 1966, Free Troglophile Association, p.16
[6] William Ball Stower was appointed foreman sometime after 1881 but before 1891, so this photo could be c1890. The driver of the loco at LH rear is George Mould. What was the occasion? Who is the man with the Gladstone bag?
[7] Liz Price, Bath Freestone Workings, p.48
[8] Liz Price, Bath Freestone Workings, p.53-55
[9] Liz Price, Bath Freestone Workings, p.15