Full Report for Listed Buildings
The list description is not intended to be a complete inventory of what is listed: it is principally intended to aid identification. By law, the definition of a listed building includes the entire building (i) and any structure or object that is fixed to the said building and ancillary to it and (ii) any other structure or object that forms part of the land and has done so since before 1 July 1948, and was within the curtilage of the building, and ancillary to it, on the date on which said building was first included in the list, or on 1 January 1969, whichever was later.
Summary Description
Reference Number
23721
Building Number
Grade
II
Status
Designated
Date of Designation
21/07/2000
Date of Amendment
21/07/2000
Name of Property
Engine House
Address
Location
Unitary Authority
Gwynedd
Community
Llanllyfni
Town
Caernarfon
Locality
Pen-yr-Orsedd
Easting
250848
Northing
354034
Street Side
Location
Located to the north-west of the Eureka slate mill on Level VIII (Bonc Brig) of Pen-yr-Orsedd Slate Quarry.
Description
Broad Class
Industrial
Period
History
Engine house built in the early C20 as part of a major phase of investment in the quarry, which saw the introduction of alternating current electricity from Cwm Dyli power station to operate the blondin ropeway system, which was established to take material from the new deep slate pits being formed at this time: the engine house powered this ropeway system. 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 1997.
Exterior
Regularly coursed slate slabs; slate roof with integral end stack to right. Single rectangular window opening to east (window missing); right gable end has 6-paned sash with projecting slate lintel, above which is a 2-light casement window. West elevation has multi-paned window to left and doorway to right; rooflight to bottom of roof slope to left. Associated with blondin ropeway system.
Interior
Retains winding drum operated from a Bruce Peebles 3-phase motor of 1906 through reduction gearing, of which the motor, control mechanism and liquid controller survive.
Reason for designation
Included as an early C20 engine house house retaining its original machinery, important for the evidence it provides of the pioneering new technology being introduced to the quarry at this period; group value with other structures on Level VIII.
Scheduled Ancient Monument (208).
Cadw : Full Report for Listed Buildings [ Records 1 of 1 ]
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