Some sandstone quarries and mines in Garsdale, dots on the picture below.
The red dots are big enough to have some underground, the orange ones are just small open excavations (not pictured below).
I haven’t found any photos or history for these, just names on maps with the quarries/mines shown as disused by the end of the 1800s.
This was two visits, both in snowy weather, on the way to or from Wensleydale.
Heading up to the eastern red dot (Blades Outrake Quarry) I passed two of the old style Dales farmhouses, West Gill House and Far House.
This type of building had livestock in one half and people in the other, both under the same roof of heavy sandstone ‘slates’, with sandstone partitions in the barn sections.
West Gill House.
Far House.
Approaching the quarry there are two structures - the far one is said to have a wheelpit for something water-powered, https://www.industrialhistoryonline.co.uk/, but I forgot to look.
There didn’t seem to be much behind the icicles in the quarry although this was really the wrong time of year to be searching for underground entrances.
So along to the western red dot, called Bridge End Quarry, which was better with several underground sections.
The first goes in a bit until a collapsing area.
The second was wetter with some rails and ended in another Jenga maze.
A third looked similar but it was beginning to to get dark by now so I left it.
Outside is the remains of what looks like a ‘Scotch Derrick’ type crane.
The view up Garsdale heading back down.
The two larger quarries might be worth another look in better weather.
The red dots are big enough to have some underground, the orange ones are just small open excavations (not pictured below).
I haven’t found any photos or history for these, just names on maps with the quarries/mines shown as disused by the end of the 1800s.
This was two visits, both in snowy weather, on the way to or from Wensleydale.
Heading up to the eastern red dot (Blades Outrake Quarry) I passed two of the old style Dales farmhouses, West Gill House and Far House.
This type of building had livestock in one half and people in the other, both under the same roof of heavy sandstone ‘slates’, with sandstone partitions in the barn sections.
West Gill House.
Far House.
Approaching the quarry there are two structures - the far one is said to have a wheelpit for something water-powered, https://www.industrialhistoryonline.co.uk/, but I forgot to look.
There didn’t seem to be much behind the icicles in the quarry although this was really the wrong time of year to be searching for underground entrances.
So along to the western red dot, called Bridge End Quarry, which was better with several underground sections.
The first goes in a bit until a collapsing area.
The second was wetter with some rails and ended in another Jenga maze.
A third looked similar but it was beginning to to get dark by now so I left it.
Outside is the remains of what looks like a ‘Scotch Derrick’ type crane.
The view up Garsdale heading back down.
The two larger quarries might be worth another look in better weather.
