Description and History of Site:-
Because of extensive residential development it is no longer possible to determine the full extent of the workings and most of the quarry is now under housing with what was probably the earliest workings lost in thickly wooded ground.

Apart from known its known history, the only evidence remaining is one grindstone re-purposed as the village name sign which is bolted to it at the western end of the village. The NGR quoted above is for this stone. Diameter 1.2m, thickness at the edge 260mm, thickness at the centre 300mm, eye diameter 190mm, chamfered on both faces. It is known to have been in production until c. 1970 and specialised in the 19th and 20th centuries on scythe stones, grindstones, pulping stones and ships' holystones. Products were exported all over Europe and beyond through the 19th century.

Working here began with the granting of a royal charter in 1629 to local residents to take and work stone though it is said work here was begun by two men from Derbyshire who saw the potential of the local Ackworth Rock Sandstone.

Further Reading and References:-
Smith, E.G. and Hemingway, J.E., The Geology and Mineral Resources of Yorkshire, Yorkshire Geological Society, 1974, pp. 368-69.

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Key Words :- a former production site for edge-runner grindstones and holy stones

Viewing the Site :- no longer accessible apart form a small overgrown area

Address :- Brackenhill, Ackworth, West Yorkshire
Grid Ref :- SE 4295 1655
Co-ordinates :- Lat 53.643705 , Long -1.351795
Local Authority :- Wakefield Council
Pre 1974 County :- Yorkshire - West Riding
Site Status :- Site demolished or no longer extant
Site Condition :- Site refurbished to residential housing
Site Dates :- unknown - 1970
Record Date :- 6 December 2022

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