Description and History of Site:-
It was a very large quarry in surface area though not especially deep, now largely infilled as an operational landfill site with some areas landscaped to deciduous woodland. Scant remains of one pre-1856 lime kiln survive as a rubble mound and another pre-1856 kiln survives in a semi-ruinous state, both close to the access point to the quarry at the eastern end of the site. A long incline plane connected the quarry with a siding on the Wensleydale line and the incline top and the the actual incline bed can be viewed from an original bridge where the PRoW crosses it. The incline has a gradient of 1:70 and is about 500m long. It was operated as a continuous rope system with empty wagons hauled up by full ones descending. A large stone-built cabin survives at the incline top. No infrastructure within the quarry has survived. Variously named Moor Quarry, Leyburn Moor Quarry and Shawl Quarry, its modern fully commercial life, employing 14 workers, began when Ord & Maddison leased the site in 1899 to supply limestone flux to their iron furnaces at Darlington.

By the 1930s it had diversified into roadstone production by erecting tar-coating plant which accounted for one-third of its total output. Recession in the steel industry almost led to its closure in 1938 but it was saved by the War. Breakers and fillers continued to be used well into the 1950s but in 1962 it was modernised with new crushing and screening plant being erected and the quarry expanded westwards and northwards.
In 1963 O&M here were taken over by Tarmac and very soon this company cut the labour force to two and ceased blasting operations but updated the plant in 1965 and increased output of coated stone.
It was closed for good in 1980.

Further Reading and References:-
Johnson, D. Limestone industries of the Yorkshire Dales. Amberley, 2010, pp. 68, 197, 199-201, 224, 235, 237.
Johnson, D. Quarrying in the Yorkshire Pennines: an illustrated history. Amberley, 2016, p. 83

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Key Words :- disused limestone quarry

Viewing the Site :- Partly visible from a public right of way along Leyburn Shawl

Address :- Leyburn, North Yorkshire, DL8 5BU
Grid Ref :- SE 096 910
Co-ordinates :- Lat 54.314503 , Long -1.853939
Local Authority :- Richmondshire District Council
Pre 1974 County :- Yorkshire - North Riding
Site Status :- Site extant - Protected status unknown
Site Condition :- Site redeveloped to industrial / commercial use
Site Dates :- pre 1860 - 1980
Record Date :- 23 December 2017

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