Footpath to a Lost Stone Quarry Varian Tye, March 2024
As a Cotswolds Voluntary Warden, I was recently involved in a work party which cleared vegetation from a section of Box Footpath 38, a public right of way on Box Hill Common.
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A Cotswold Voluntary Warden Work Party actively clearing Box Footpath 38 (courtesy Varian Tye)
Tracing Footpath 38
I have often thought of Box Hill as The Hill of Stone, due to the stone quarrying in the area. So I started to investigate if
Footpath 38 was on old maps and if there were any stone quarries close by. Box Footpath 38 appears to be first noted on a map dated 1844–1888.
I have often thought of Box Hill as The Hill of Stone, due to the stone quarrying in the area. So I started to investigate if
Footpath 38 was on old maps and if there were any stone quarries close by. Box Footpath 38 appears to be first noted on a map dated 1844–1888.
Ordnance Survey Map 1844–1888 with footpath drawn in red (courtesy of Know You Place)
It is also shown on a map of 1947 which indicates that a section of footpath cleared by the Cotswold Voluntary Wardens crossed a very large stone quarry.
Map courtesy of Wiltshire Records Office.1947 – 1950
Contemporary map of footpath 38 in red and footpath 39 in yellow (courtesy Google maps)
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Note the tunnel below the footpath in the top right-hand corner of the middle map above. This linked the quarry in the adjacent field to the south of the footpath, via a tramway to Box Hill Common. Seen left are some of the concrete posts and wire fencing noted in the top left- and right-hand corner of the map, above the tunnel. These appear to still survive near the footpath cleared by the Cotswold Voluntary Wardens. Left: Fencing posts on the footpath (courtesy Varian Tye) |
Quarry at Strong’s Mouth
In his book Digging Bath Stone a Quarry and Transport history, David Pollard noted that this area, then called Rawlings Field, abutted a quarry called Strong’s Mouth.[1] What became known as Strong’s Mouth was a hillside quarry where the head of stone, about 40 foot in height, had been undermined in several places. One of these headings reached deeper into the hill and emerged into a large quarry hole. The haul road crossed the floor of the hole and continued into underground heading at the base of the head of stone. This entrance was known as Eastgate. The first underground part of the haul road formed a tunnel, bridge, or arch - there was a footpath over the top which was dangerous because the open quarries on either side were unfenced.
David goes on to say: In 1947 Box Parish Council became concerned about the danger and sought information from old Quarrymen including Owen Bishop who said, ‘Mr Strong was a contractor for winning stone who worked in the Quarries which were always known as Strong’s Mouth’ Bishop recalled that Strong’s Mouth was worked in his boyhood days. ‘The stone was cut underground and loaded on to waggons. The waggons were drawn through Strong’s Mouth across the quarry, through the tunnel under the footpath and down through the second quarry to Quarry Hill and Box Station. After 1887 or 1888 Strong’s Mouth was not worked’.
The photograph below appears to show the Tunnel Inn buildings on the left of the horizon and Footpath 38 to the right.
In his book Digging Bath Stone a Quarry and Transport history, David Pollard noted that this area, then called Rawlings Field, abutted a quarry called Strong’s Mouth.[1] What became known as Strong’s Mouth was a hillside quarry where the head of stone, about 40 foot in height, had been undermined in several places. One of these headings reached deeper into the hill and emerged into a large quarry hole. The haul road crossed the floor of the hole and continued into underground heading at the base of the head of stone. This entrance was known as Eastgate. The first underground part of the haul road formed a tunnel, bridge, or arch - there was a footpath over the top which was dangerous because the open quarries on either side were unfenced.
David goes on to say: In 1947 Box Parish Council became concerned about the danger and sought information from old Quarrymen including Owen Bishop who said, ‘Mr Strong was a contractor for winning stone who worked in the Quarries which were always known as Strong’s Mouth’ Bishop recalled that Strong’s Mouth was worked in his boyhood days. ‘The stone was cut underground and loaded on to waggons. The waggons were drawn through Strong’s Mouth across the quarry, through the tunnel under the footpath and down through the second quarry to Quarry Hill and Box Station. After 1887 or 1888 Strong’s Mouth was not worked’.
The photograph below appears to show the Tunnel Inn buildings on the left of the horizon and Footpath 38 to the right.
Rawlings Field Quarry looking towards Strong’s Mouth before it was filled in during the 1960s. Taken from Digging Bath Stone by David Pollard, 2021, courtesy Lightmoor Press,[3]
The Strong Family
The family of Thomas Strong was one of the early Victorian stone quarry-owners in Box.[2] Thomas leased several parcels of land for quarry in the area in the 1820s, including Baytun’s Quarry which was considered as a source for rebuilding the Houses of Parliament in 1839. He purchased land himself at Millsplatt, built cottages for his workers on Box Hill, and became very wealthy. By 1851 he lived at an early property at Fogleigh and an imposing monument was built in his memory outside the north door of Box Church after his death in 1851. His son, Robert, survived him by only 5 years and Thomas’ granddaughter, Eliza Rowena Strong, left £300 in her will to Box Church to preserve the memory of the family.
The family of Thomas Strong was one of the early Victorian stone quarry-owners in Box.[2] Thomas leased several parcels of land for quarry in the area in the 1820s, including Baytun’s Quarry which was considered as a source for rebuilding the Houses of Parliament in 1839. He purchased land himself at Millsplatt, built cottages for his workers on Box Hill, and became very wealthy. By 1851 he lived at an early property at Fogleigh and an imposing monument was built in his memory outside the north door of Box Church after his death in 1851. His son, Robert, survived him by only 5 years and Thomas’ granddaughter, Eliza Rowena Strong, left £300 in her will to Box Church to preserve the memory of the family.
The Strong memorial outside the north door of Box Church (courtesy Varian Tye)
At this time, the story of stone quarrying was one of great economic and financial fluctuations, influenced by the quality of underground stone for building needs, as well as the demand for new houses. When cashflow dried up, Robert Strong was declared bankrupt in 1847 until he later secured contracts for supplying stone to build cottages at Windsor Home Park and restoration work at Bowood House. After Robert’s death in 1856, his cousin, also called Robert Strong (1817-1887), took over some of the excavation rights.
Aerial view of the site (courtesy Historic England)
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Historic England hold a collection of aerial photographs which shows the growth to England’s urban and rural landscapes.
The extract above shows the quarries discussed and the route of a footpath between them.[4] An interesting article by Richard Pinker, Box People and Places, ‘Recalling Box Quarries’ also seeks to remember quarries on Box Hill before they were filled in.[5] Richard mentioned the old quarry stone crane which used to work at Clift Quarry on Box Hill, now restored and displayed at the site of the former Stothert and Pitt site in Bath.[6] Richard has now added to the details with a photograph of his niece in 1957, seen left. The location of the photo was over the old arch. At the time they were clearing the path on the footpath to the Tumps. Richard asked us if anyone could confirm his memory of a sycamore tree near here which he recalled as unusual with helicopter seeds. |
Imagining the Past
When walking Box Footpath 38, I like to imagine past views which would have been taken from the path of the quarries in the adjacent field to the south and the tramway and quarrymen working below in large stone quarry. Then, walking up Quarry Hill to Box Hill Common, the carters on their wagons laden with stone travelling down the hill to Box Station. It was a very dangerous job being a hauler of stone, as it was being a quarryman. David Pollard wrote about carters and their horses being killed or hurt in the transportation of stone in the Bath and Bradford-on-Avon Area. One case involved a carter trying to stop a wagon running down a hill out of control. Unfortunately, he fell under the wheels of the wagon. In another accident going down the hill, stone fell off a wagon onto two horses.
The digital painting below shows a carter on his wagon with horses hauling stone. The original photograph once hung on a wall in the Quarryman’s Arms public house. I like to imagine it is a carter taking stone from one of the stone quarries in the parish to Box Station.
When walking Box Footpath 38, I like to imagine past views which would have been taken from the path of the quarries in the adjacent field to the south and the tramway and quarrymen working below in large stone quarry. Then, walking up Quarry Hill to Box Hill Common, the carters on their wagons laden with stone travelling down the hill to Box Station. It was a very dangerous job being a hauler of stone, as it was being a quarryman. David Pollard wrote about carters and their horses being killed or hurt in the transportation of stone in the Bath and Bradford-on-Avon Area. One case involved a carter trying to stop a wagon running down a hill out of control. Unfortunately, he fell under the wheels of the wagon. In another accident going down the hill, stone fell off a wagon onto two horses.
The digital painting below shows a carter on his wagon with horses hauling stone. The original photograph once hung on a wall in the Quarryman’s Arms public house. I like to imagine it is a carter taking stone from one of the stone quarries in the parish to Box Station.
Digital painting (courtesy Varian Tye)
Conclusion
We are very fortunate in the parish of Box to have many historic buildings, which remind us of the important quarrying history in the area, and also historic routes for the quarry industry. These were the paths along which stone was transported, with evidence of open and underground quarrying, and footpaths and rights of way, where quarrymen walked to and from work.
The footpaths help us to explore the glorious countryside in the area and keep us fit and healthy. They also allow us also to walk back into the past and fire our imagination of days gone by.
We are very fortunate in the parish of Box to have many historic buildings, which remind us of the important quarrying history in the area, and also historic routes for the quarry industry. These were the paths along which stone was transported, with evidence of open and underground quarrying, and footpaths and rights of way, where quarrymen walked to and from work.
The footpaths help us to explore the glorious countryside in the area and keep us fit and healthy. They also allow us also to walk back into the past and fire our imagination of days gone by.
References
[1] Taken from Digging Bath Stone by David Pollard, 2021, courtesy Lightmoor Press, p.242-43
[2] Taken from Digging Bath Stone by David Pollard, 2021, courtesy Lightmoor Press, p.38-39
[3] Taken from Digging Bath Stone by David Pollard, 2021, courtesy Lightmoor Press, p.242
[4] https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/archive/collections/aerial-photos/record/raf_106g_uk_1415_rs_4038
[5] http://www.boxpeopleandplaces.co.uk/recalling-box-quarries.html
[6] http://www.boxpeopleandplaces.co.uk/crane-installed.html
[1] Taken from Digging Bath Stone by David Pollard, 2021, courtesy Lightmoor Press, p.242-43
[2] Taken from Digging Bath Stone by David Pollard, 2021, courtesy Lightmoor Press, p.38-39
[3] Taken from Digging Bath Stone by David Pollard, 2021, courtesy Lightmoor Press, p.242
[4] https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/archive/collections/aerial-photos/record/raf_106g_uk_1415_rs_4038
[5] http://www.boxpeopleandplaces.co.uk/recalling-box-quarries.html
[6] http://www.boxpeopleandplaces.co.uk/crane-installed.html