Easdale, North West Coastal Quarries
Slate Quarry(S) (18th Century)
Site Name Easdale, North West Coastal Quarries
Classification Slate Quarry(S) (18th Century)
Canmore ID 362053
Site Number NM71NW 119.02
NGR NM 73524 17315
NGR Description centred
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/362053
- Council Argyll And Bute
- Parish Kilbrandon And Kilchattan
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Argyll And Bute
- Former County Argyll
Desk Based Assessment (8 November 2019)
Quarries
Large scale, concentrated exploitation of the Easdale slate belt began in earnest in the mid-18th century by the landowner, the 2nd Earl of Breadalbane. Slate production reached its height in the 1860s. Commercial
quarrying on Easdale (and the other islands) had ceased by the First World War (1914) with the bankruptcy of the Easdale Slate Quarries Company in 1911. The slate the Welsh slate industry. Today, there are no quarries in
Scotland producing roofing slate.
There is also evidence of early shoreline quarrying which would have predated and partially continued when the deeper quarries were dug inland during the latter 18th century. Eighteen areas of quarrying were identified during fieldwork. Some are known to have existed in the 18th century, others only appear on maps with little information known other that they were abandoned or closed by a certain date. Others were reopened and reused when the construction industry picked up again and roof tiles were in demand.
Information from Miriam McDonald, Survey and Recording Section, Heritage Directorate, HES, 08/11/2019.
