Winding house

Llanllyfni, Gwynedd, Wales

A Grade II listed building in Pen-yr-Orsedd, Caernarfon, Llanllyfni, Gwynedd, designated on 21 July 2000.

Ordnance Survey six-inch map, 2nd edition (1888–1913) covering the location of Winding house, Llanllyfni, Gwynedd, with a pin at the register's coordinates — Ordnance Survey six-inch map, 2nd edition (1888–1913), covering this location. Courtesy of the National Library of Scotland. The pin is ours, placed from the register's coordinates.

The record

Designation: Listed building, Grade II
Broad class: Industrial
Date of designation: 21 July 2000
Locality: Pen-yr-Orsedd
Town: Caernarfon
Community: Llanllyfni
Unitary authority: Gwynedd
Country: Wales
Coordinates: 53.06253, -4.22459
Cadw reference: 23724

TodayHistorical map

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1795 map "To Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn Bart ... the map of the six counties of North Wales is most humbly inscribed by his obedient humble servant" (Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of Wales).

Historical maps covering this location

1795 · To Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn Bart ... the map of the six counties of North Wales is most… (Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of Wales)
1883 · Watershed map England, Wales 3. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1896 · Sheet 7. Ordnance Survey of England and Wales. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1899 · 118 Nevin (Hills) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1901 · Sheet 9 and 10. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)

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This record in Cadw's own full report ↗

Cadw's description

Location

Located on Level VIII (Bonc Brig) of Pen-yr-Orsedd Slate Quarry to the east of the Eureka Slate Mill.

History

Winding house built c1923. The quarry opened c1816 and in 1863 it was bought by W A Darbishire & Co. During the 1890s about 450 men worked here: it finally closed in l997.

Exterior

Regularly coursed slate slabs and irregularly coursed rubblestone; slate roof with integral end stack to south-east gable. Ramped entrance to doorway to far right on north-east wall. Multi-paned horizontal window to north-west gable end and 2-light window to south-east gable end.

Interior

Electric motor and uphaulage drum survive intact.

Reason for designation

Included as an electrically-powered winding house associated with the pioneering electrical technology employed at Pen-yr-Orsedd Quarry between 1900 and 1925.

Nearby in the register

Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.

Designated Historic Asset GIS Data, The Welsh Historic Environment Service (Cadw), 2026-09-07, licensed under the Open Government Licence http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/ Cadw, the Welsh Historic Environment Service · Open Government Licence v3.0

All Industrial in Gwynedd All Unitary authority Gwynedd records All Wales Heritage registers Historical markers (US)National Register of Historic Places (US)

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