Description and History of Site:-
This was a huge (860 acres) open quarry exploiting fine-grained Elland Flags (Gaisby Stone) for dimension and building stone, and latterly for aggregate. It used to be part of the Hard Rock Quarries group, and the Pickard Group but its situation surrounded by housing meant it could not survive for ever and currently (2015) it is 'standing' but will not reopen. It is scheduled for major housing development. Before c. 1830 it was called Coppy Quarry but major expansion as Bolton Woods Quarry started in the 1850s. In 1851 it exhibited its products at the Great Exhibition, such was the value attached to Gaisby Rock. The site was decommissioned in 2014-15.

Further Reading and References:-
Johnson, D. Quarrying in the Yorkshire Pennines. Amberley, 2016. pp. 7, 40.

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Key Words :- open quarry sandstone disused

Viewing the Site :- No public access

Address :- Bolton Woods, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD2 1BW
Grid Ref :- SE 163 361
Co-ordinates :- Lat 53.820922 , Long -1.753884
Local Authority :- City of Bradford
Pre 1974 County :- Yorkshire - West Riding
Site Status :- Site demolished or no longer extant
Site Condition :- Earthworks only
Site Dates :- at least 1830s - closed 2104-15
Record Date :- 12 February 2017

Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © David Johnson