Dear Roy,

I have just come across your Bryneglwys page whilst browsing through the Welsh Mines Society website. I first saw the quarry in 1958, when I was a member of the Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society. Since those days I have visited the quarry many times and indeed from 1975 until 1986 I spent most of my leisure time surveying the buildings, the workings and also searching record offices and libraries trying to find out more about the place. I have also recorded some conversations with old quarrymen, now no longer with us. The upshot of all this was a book 'Slates from Abergynolwyn' which went to a second edition last year.

The forestry vandals have destroyed most of the buildings and it's hard to work out just where everything was, what with all the trees and undergrowth. I believe it is still possible to enter the Long Tunnel and some of the adits each side of the valley but I haven't been in for many years. Last year the Forestry Commission were leaned on to get a field archaeologist to survey the site with a view to opening up public access. Because of my earlier field work, they asked me to advise on where to put new footpaths and which trees needed felling to open up the view. They said that many of the trees would be felled but left where they were as it was impossible to get them out - so why didn't they think of that when they planted the wretched things? 'Oh well, they were paid so much per tree to plant them in 1960'.

One or two of their people spent some time clearing weeds and undergrowth from the drumhouse at the Alltwyllt incline above Nant Gwernol station. They have made a good job of it. The haulage system of two 30-ft wheelpits and associated masonry on the top level has been scheduled as an ancient monument, though whether that will make it safe from further destruction I don't know. Incidentally, the building in your photo with the bunks inside was the compressor house. The compressor was driven by a waterwheel alongside (the pillars in the photo supported the launder) and provided air for the rock drills in the mine.

I was very lucky to see the quarry in those early days. You're welcome to use any of these remarks if you wish.

 

Best wishes,  

 

 Alan Holmes

Hello Roy

 

I have just stumbled across your web page and I note that you have or had an interest in Great Rock Mine at Hennock.

 

I am attempting to write the definitive history of the mine - I had the perhaps unenviable "pleasure" of working there very briefly in 1963.  It was an experience!

 

You mention that you have written extensively on the mine - was this exploration or original research??

 

Regards

 

Tony

and Roy say's: This is from Tony Brookes, the book is one to look forward to. Great Rock is a fascinating place.

Hello
Please excuse the 'cold' call but thought you would like to see some information about a new video/dvd programme that will be shortly available from our company MVP Video. We previously produced 'Deep Dark & Dusty' - the story of Bathstone, its men and its quarries, you may have come across it.
If it may be of interest to you or your members then please let us know.

Jim Menday
MVP Video
Guildford

 
‘LIFTING THE LID ON BOX HILL’

 Have you ever..
 …   Wondered what was inside the heavily guarded military establishment located
in Corsham in Wiltshire?

 …     Wondered why there was an extra railway tunnel alongside Box Railway Tunnel?
…   Wondered why there are so many ventilation shafts sprouting up in the middle of fields?
…   Heard the myth about the country’s emergency reserve of steam locomotives stored underground?
If you have, then this programme is for you!
With the kind co-operation of the Ministry of Defence, we are able to lift the ‘secret lid’ on Box Hill and take you on a video tour of the never publicly seen Tunnel Quarry in Corsham, Wiltshire.
Tunnel Quarry was one of the United Kingdom’s central ammunition depots.  Conceived in the mid-1930’s to hide from the enemy over 100,000 tons of bombs, shells, cordite and small arms ammunition that the country depended upon to win the Second World War.
Thanks to the legacy of Isambard Kingdom Brunel and the local Bathstone quarrymasters and quarrymen, over 100 acres of underground passageways and chambers were converted by hundreds of men, under the leadership of the Royal Engineers, into an ammunition magazine storage area of gargantuan proportions with unique architecture.
Whilst underground, you will see the twin platform railway station, the engine shed, powerhouse, some of the many miles of conveyor belting, we tour the magazine areas, main haulage-ways, see the slope shafts and surface loading building, the administrative offices and Royal Engineers workshop.  We also observe the ‘Clift drift inlet fan’ and take a look at the associated conversion work in the adjoining Box and Groundstone Quarries for the air drifts and communication requirements.
We can also bring to you two bonus locations: As we were allowed to film in Spring Quarry, we can show you the wartime painted murals in what was the canteen areas of the Bristol Aircraft factory and, in Brown’s Quarry, the large Bathstone chambers that housed the wartime control room of No 10 Fighter Command.
You will be amazed by this totally unique and unrepeatable visit to this historic site, which displays the 1930’s concrete architecture and the British Army and civilian engineering skills that went into the building of this depot.
As the tour unfolds, our on screen map captions show you where you are underground within this vast site.
Running time of approx 1 hour 25 minutes
Filmed and edited on broadcast standard digital equipment.

Available in VHS HG PAL tape @ £15.95

And DVD –R format (check player compatibility) @ £18.95

ALL PLUS £2.50 POST & PACKING