Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Pickwick Limestone Quarry
Hob Uid: 1466496
Location : Wiltshire Corsham
Grid Ref : ST8553070229
Summary : The 19th century Pickwick Quarry underground Bath Stone quarry is situated on the western edge of Corsham. The stone was quarried underground using a combination of picks and saws, the cut blocks being removed using cranes erected at the quarry face. The stone was raised using tramway trucks hauled by a steam winding engine via a steep incline. The quarry was leased by the Admiralty as ammunition stores in October 1939 and air photos taken in 1946 show a number of buildings associated with this below ground ammunition storage. The photos also show spoil spread across the site and this is likely to be quarrying waste which was removed from the mine when converted to a store. Accommodation and communal buildings with access roads and paths were built to the north. The site is now a mining museum and air photos taken in 2009 show the slope shaft and the building to the west still survive. Other buildings on the site do not appear to be those seen in 1946 and the accommodation buildings to the north have all been demolished and houses built on the site.
More information : Underground Bath Stone quarries with remains of surface features. The stone was quarried underground using a combination of picks and saws, the cut blocks being removed using cranes erected at the quarry face. The stone was raised using tramway trucks hauled by a steam winding engine via a steep incline. Now a stone mining museum. The surface remains of the late 19th/early 20th century Pickwick quarry and the Second World War Admiralty ammunition depot can be seen on aerial photographs taken in 1946. This site is situated on the western edge of Corsham at ST 8553 7022. The quarry remains consisted of the entrance to the slope shaft at ST 8549 7027 and the engine house immediately to the west. The quarry was leased by the Admiralty as an ammunition store in October 1939 and the other buildings visible were all associated with this below ground ammunition storage. There is also spoil spread across the site and this is likely to be quarrying waste which was removed from the mine when converted to a store. Accommodation and communal buildings with access roads and paths were built to the north, centred on ST 8548 7035. Pickwick Quarry was leased by the Admiralty (along with Brocklease Quarry south of Neston, see 1579841) to store c.10,000 tons of naval ammunition. This ammunition was at that time being stored in hulks and hundreds of railway wagons which needed to be released for other tasks. Air photos taken in 2009 show the slope shaft and the building to the west still survive. Other buildings on the site do not appear to be those seen in 1946 and the accommodation buildings to the north have all been demolished and houses built on the site. (2-4)

Sources :

Source Number : 1
Source :
Source details : The Quarrying Industry, 2000, Wiltshire 3
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Source Number : 2
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Source details : N J McCamley
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Source Number : 2
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Source details : RAF/106G/UK/1415 4041 14-APR-1946
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Source Number : 3
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Source details : Next Perspectives PGA Imagery ST8570 23-MAY-2009
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Monument Types:

Monument Period Name : Post Medieval
Display Date : Opened 1841
Monument End Date : 1901
Monument Start Date : 1841
Monument Type : Limestone Quarry, Inclined Plane, Machine Bed, Chimney, Tramway, Crane
Evidence : Subterranean Feature, Structure

Monument Period Name : Second World War
Display Date : Second World War
Monument End Date : 1945
Monument Start Date : 1939
Monument Type : Spoil Heap, Ammunition Dump, Military Camp
Evidence : Earthwork, Demolished Structure

Components and Objects:

Related Records from other datasets:

External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : ST 87 SE 74
External Cross Reference Notes :

Related Warden Records :

Associated Monuments :
Relationship type : General association

Related Activities :

Associated Activities :
Activity type : AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH INTERPRETATION
Start Date : 2013-01-01
End Date : 2015-12-31

Historic England Research Records

Pickwick Limestone Quarry