Description and History of Site:-
It is a linear quarry 400m long by 100m wide and very deeply incised into the natural elongated Fence Hill. The sides are very steeply dipping and the base of the quarry is filled with eater to an unknown depth.No infrastructure remains within the quarry. It was linked by a rock-cut tunnel, 140m long, to the Skipton-Burnley railway and a 300m-long rail spur entered the quarry processing area along this line. Pre 1850 there was a series of small quarries with Fence Delf Quarry being the largest and each delf had a lime kiln. Fence Delf Quarry grew with the coming of the railway in 1848 and slowly quarrying ate away the entire inner part of Fence Hill. Around 1881 the quarry was worked by R. Bond and by 1896 by Tennant & Nightingale who employed 33 men here. In 1897 they were bought out by P.W. Spencer Ltd of Lothersdale Quarry (qv) and worked in a more commercial manner. However, in 1916 they gave up the site as the high-quality blue limestone had given way to unstable shales, despite the fact that in 1914 they had erected new tar-coating plant and had taken on more men to operate it. The lease was taken over by W. Pollard of Nelson who worked it until final closure in 1921/22: during his time the workforce gradually decreased from 24 to only 4.
Further Reading and References:-Johnson, D. 2010. Limestone industries of the Yorkshire Dales. Stroud: Amberley, pp. 68, 84-85, 167, 173, 185, 235.
Help us improve this entry
The compilers welcome corrections or additional information on all sites.
Any information provided will be verified before appearing on the web site.
Email comments
Key Words :- disused limestone quarry
Viewing the Site :- A public footpath runs along the northern side of the quarry, outside the quarry bounds
Address :- A56, Thornton-in-Craven, Barnoldswick, North Yorkshire
Grid Ref :- SD 911 489
Co-ordinates :- Lat 53.936140 , Long -2.137050
Local Authority :- North Yorkshire Council
Pre 1974 County :- Yorkshire - West Riding
Site Status :- Site extant - Protected status unknown
Site Condition :- Earthworks only
Site Dates :- pre 1881 - 1921/22
Record Date :- 17 January 2018
Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © David Johnson
Grid Ref :- SD 911 489
Co-ordinates :- Lat 53.936140 , Long -2.137050
Local Authority :- North Yorkshire Council
Pre 1974 County :- Yorkshire - West Riding
Site Status :- Site extant - Protected status unknown
Site Condition :- Earthworks only
Site Dates :- pre 1881 - 1921/22
Record Date :- 17 January 2018
Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © David Johnson