Penrhyn old quarry: drainage tunnel survey.

It's time I placed survey results of the great Penrhyn old quarry drainage tunnel into the public domain.

Penrhyn old quarry in 2023, now mostly flooded. The level of the lake is defined by the drainage tunnel's level, which exits into the Ogwen river, nearly 2km downstream, opposite Bethesda rugby ground.

 

First, a bit of context: Penrhyn and his ilk operated a harsh and despotic system of industry in north Wales that has often - correctly - been described as 'white slavery'. This is because money made from black slavery in the Caribbean was reinvested in north Wales slate. Penrhyn ensured his gentrified and political position allowed him to 'steal a mountain' - land that locals had exploited on a small scale as common land for centuries.

 

In surveying and celebrating the structures of the Penrhyn slate quarry, my work absolutely does not idolise Penrhyn and his managers; they were crooks, interested only in power and, above all, personal wealth. 

 

Stereo viewer pair of Penrhyn old quarry in 1902. It is possible for many people to generate a stereo image simply by crossing one's eyes to create a centre, '3D' image. Library of Congress.

Rather, I examine and celebrate the ordinary working men who slaved away for no life-changing benefit to create indsutrial structures and machinery that reveal them as the capable, intelligent and tough folk they were.

My work, which has been accepted for inclusion on the RCAHMW's 'Coflein' database since around April 2026, has yet to appear due, I am told, technical issues with their system. 

In the meantime, you can find my work, for free, here.