Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Blaen y Cae Slate Quarry
Llanllyfni, Gwynedd, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Scheduled monument
- Site type
- Quarry
- Period
- Post Medieval/Modern
- Date of designation
- 11 June 1998
- Community
- Llanllyfni
- Unitary authority
- Gwynedd
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates (centre of the scheduled area)
- 53.05914, -4.24303
- SAM number
- CN301
- Cadw record number
- 1054
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesBayerische Staatsbibliothek, Munich
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1588 "Ortelius, Abraham: Theatro De La Tierra Universal. 0" (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Munich).
Cadw's description
Summary description and reason for designation
The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Monument.
Blaen y Cae Slate Quarry, which operated from the 1830s to the 1930s, contains outstanding remains of a steam powered blondin system for raising slate out of adjacent pits. The blondin ropeway system was installed c.1910 and survives with wooden masts, landing platforms on the lip of the quarry pit, a railway embankment, wire ropes and sheeves, a steam winding engine made by Henderson's of Aberdeen, and a winding drum.
The monument is the best-preserved example of typical steam powered blondin operation in the Welsh slate industry. It is of national importance as it retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of associated archaeological features and deposits. The structure itself may be expected to contain archaeological information concerning chronology and building techniques.
The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.
Nearby in the register
- Tunnel Portal and TunnelIndustrialunder 1 mi
- Nantlle Railway and Old TalysarnRailwayunder 1 mi
- Pen-y-brynDomesticunder 1 mi
- North-eastern aerial ropeway revetment, incline and associated buildingsIndustrialunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.