Old Cumbria Gazetteer - Shap Blue Quarry, Shap Rural


	Shap Blue Quarry, Shap Rural
	Shap Blue Quarry
locality:-	Low Fell
civil parish:-	Shap Rural (formerly Westmorland)
county:-	Cumbria
locality type:-	granite quarry
locality type:-	quarry
coordinates:-	NY56461066 (etc)
1Km square:-	NY5610
10Km square:-	NY51
SummaryText:-	both sides of the A6 road

evidence:-	old text:- Postlethwaite 1877 (3rd edn 1913) placename:- Rhyolite Quarry item:- granite; rhyolite; concrete flags
source data:-	Book, Mines and Mining in the English Lake District, by John Postlethwaite, Keswick, published by W H Moss and Sons, Whitehaven, Cumberland now Cumbria, 1877; published 1877-1913. goto source page 157:- "There are two quarries near Shap, namely, the Granite Quarry and the Rhyolite Quarry, the latter of which yields a superior quality of blue Macadam of great hardness. ... The proprietors of this quarry claim that they have been the real pioneers in the manufacture of Concrete Flags, and that since the commencement of this branch of their work, nearly 2,000,000 yards of flags have been sent away from their works."

evidence:-	old advertisement:- Bemrose 1881 placename:- Shap Granite Works item:- granite; concrete
source data:-	Advertisement for Shap Granite Works, Shap Rural, Westmorland, included in a Handy Guide to the English Lakes and Shap Spa, about 1881. click to enlarge BEM1A5.jpg Published by Bemrose and Sons, 23 Old Bailey, London and Derby, by A B Moss, Carlisle, Cumberland, and by T Wilson, Kendal, Westmorland, about 1881. item:- JandMN : 455.35 Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-	old text:- Bemrose 1881 placename:- Shap Granite Works item:- granite; concrete; Shap Granite; plum pudding granite; school
source data:-	Guide book, Handy Guide to the English Lakes and Shap Spa, published by Bemrose and Sons, 23 Old Bailey, London and Derby, by A B Moss, Carlisle, Cumberland, and by T Wilson, Kendal, Westmorland, about 1881. pp.108-110 "SHAP GRANITE WORKS." "THESE Works are situated midway between Shap Station and the Spa, and they have now been established upwards of ten years. But for the railway they never would have existed, and thus, in all probability, the valuable properties and decorative qualities of the Shap Granite would never have been known." "This granite is recognized by scientific men as a potash one, thus securing the most durable quality for constructive purposes generally, whether for the construction of works of substantail nature, or for the more refined embellishments of architecture. There are two qualities - light and dark - which, when appropriately blended in a building, develop the most pleasing and subdued contrasts, unattainable through any other granite combination." "... The visitor with leisure at command ... will be well rewarded by examining these interesting Works, which the well-known courtesy of the proprietor, Mr. D. D. Fenning, will render as easy and agreeable task. Here he will become almost bewildered amid the huge blocks of granite and the varied and ingenious machinery by which they are shaped and fashioned into "things of beauty." There are some singularly eccentric looking machines both for cutting and polishing purposes; and neither expense nor trouble appears to have been spared in securing the best appliances. Indded, we believe it may be said that the Shap Granite Works are the most perfect and complete of their kind in this country; and the variety of work which one sees there in its different stages of progress, - from the block under the mason's chisel to the one receiving its last brilliant polish, - indicate the character and extent of the business supplying not only to a considerable home market, but also America and many of our Colonies. Here may be seen in one department the elaborate architectural column, massive in its proportions, and in another the thoughtfully designed tomb or headstone." "Harrd as all granite proverbially is, the Shap granite is particularly so, and hence its special durability. In appearance it is easily distinguished from other granites by the large crystals it contains. Other granite proprietors were at first disposed to deprecate it on account of these crystals, and they dubbed it "plum pudding," - ..." "..." "There is a large and unavoidable amount of debris at the quarries and works, and this the proprietor now purposes utilizing, by converting it into concrete, for paving and such like purposes, which will cost less than the ppolished granites ..." "..." "The number of men empoyed averages 300; and the proprietor has not merely built comfortable cottages for many of them beside the Works, but has established a school for their children, and also a co-operative store for the supply of their household wants on the most economical terms." item:- JandMN : 455 Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-	old map:- OS 1900 placename:- Shap Grantite Works
source data:-	Map, The Lake District, scale 1 mile to 1 inch, published by the Ordnance Survey, Southampton, Hampshire, 1900. OS25Pce.jpg

evidence:-	old map:- OS 1918 Popular Edition placename:- Shap Grantite Works
source data:-	Map series, One Inch Popular edition maps of Great Britain, scale 1 inch to 1 mile, published by the Ordnance Survey, Southampton, Hampshire, from about 1918 onwards. OS18Pce.jpg

evidence:-	visit log:- KDMRS 1979-82 placename:- Shap Granite Blue Quarry placename:- Blue Quarry item:- epidote; calcite; almandine; iron pyrites; copper pyrites; biotite mica; barytes
source data:-	Notes, log book of Geological Outings, mine plans, etc, Kendal and District Mine Research Society, Kendal area, Cumbria, etc, visits made 1979-82. Geological Outing of the Kendal and District Mine Research Society Log book page 1:- "DATE - SATURDAY 3/3/79 / MAP REF - NY51 56501050 / LOCATION - SHAP / NAME - SHAP GRANITE BLUE QUARRY / TYPE OF SITE - QUARRY / WORKING OR DISUSED - WORKING / PEOPLE IN PARTY [ ] / NOS. OF PHOTOS (IF ANY) - NoS 1 / SPECIMENS FOUND - EPIDOTE CRYSTALS & MASSIVE. CALCITE MASSIVE. ALMANDINE MASSIVE &CRYSTALS. IRON PYRITES CRYSTALS (VERY SMALL) DISCOLOURED BLACK / COMMENTS - COLD WET DAY!" Log book page 17:- "DATE - 2/6/79 SATURDAY / MAP REF - 5650/1050 / LOCATION - SHAP / NAME - BLUE QUARRY / TYPE OF SITE - QUARRY / WORKING OR DISUSED - WORKING / PEOPLE IN PARTY [ ] / NOS. OF PHOTOS - Nos.1 / SPECIMENS FOUND - IRON PYRITES. COPPER PYRITES. BIOTITE MICA. BARYTES CRYSTALS. CALCITE CRYSTALS. / COMMENTS - NICE WARM DRY DAY." Log book page 19:- "DATE - SATURDAY 9/6/79 / MAP REF - 5650/1050 / LOCATION - SHAP / NAME - BLUE QUARRY / TYPE OF SITE - QUARRY / WORKING OR DISUSED - WORKING / PEOPLE IN PARTY [ ] / NOS. OF PHOTOS - [ ] / SPECIMENS FOUND - CALCITE CRYSTALS OF SCALENOHEDRAL SHAPE / COMMENTS - DRY DAY. A LOT OF HEAVY ROCK HAS BEEN BROUGHT DOWN OFF THE QUARRY FACE. VERY INTERESTING AFTERNOON." item:- private collection : 82 Image © see bottom of page

	Glover, David: 2014: Quarries of Lakeland: Bookcase (Carlisle, Cumbria)

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