Lanterdan Quarry, Trebarwith Strand, Tintagel

Record ID:  90367*0 / MNA103430
Record type:  Monument
Protected Status: None Recorded
NT Property:  Tintagel; South West
Civil Parish:  Tintagel; Cornwall
Grid Reference:  SX 050 870
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Summary

Extensive coastal slate quarry extending from S of Hole Beach to West Quarry and consisting of at least seven distinct quarryings of the 200m of worked cliff face. This quarry may have been worked as early as the 15th century and appears to have still been exploited into the early 20th century.

Identification Images (0)

Most Recent Monitoring

None Recorded

Monument Types

  • SLATE QUARRY (Post Medieval to Mid 20th C - 1540 AD to 1939 AD)

Description

The most visible of the Tintagel group of quarries Lanterdan may have been worked as early as the 15th century (Canner 1982). By 1896 Thomas Sweet and 1 employee worked the quarry which appears to have continued on possibly until the 1930s.

The very extensive working faces along 200m of coastal cliff are divided into at least seven distinctive quarries (of 15m-25m width and worked back 50m-80m to height of 30m) and separated by isolated stacks of poor quality slate, outliers and part buried faces. All three faces of each quarry were developed. In some areas rectangular pockets of stone have been worked back into the main faces by box quarries.

The final working area seems to have been at 90367*8, although all have been overdumped with waste material. The exposures in this area reveal a grey/black to olive green slate in which fresh drill marks can be seen over the full height of the cliff face which is dissected by a ragged quartz vein.

In the N, a small rather isolated quarry forms a narrow (10m wide) rectangular cut into a greenish slate with prominent drill marks on its rear face. On the N side of this quarry is a small shelter 90367*24 and adjoining it a second structure with a strong point above 90367*25. To the S area a umber of vertically sided gullies trending SW-NE which may also have been quarried.

It appears that only the lower parts of the cliff faces were workable stone. After closure, material was dumped over the rear faces of all the quarries, partially infilling them. As a result much is obscured. Only one whim, to the N, is visible. The curios slot also at the N end may be a relict feature from earlier phases of operations.

References

  • --- SZC609 - Monograph: A C Canner. 1982. The Parish of Tintagel: some interesting historical notes.

  • --- SZC6340 - Monograph: Adam Sharpe. 1990. Coastal Slate Quarries, Tintagel to Trebarwith.

  • --- SZC7829 - Map: National Trust. Map showing National Trust Property at Tintagel. 10000.

  • --- SZC9327 - Unpublished document: Brian Le Messurier. 1985. Assessment and interpretation proposals, Tintagel.

Designations

None Recorded

Other Statuses and References

  • Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
  • HER/SMR Reference (External): 4139
  • Heritage Coast
  • Site of Special Scientific Interest (Geological & Biologi)

Associated Events

  • ENA459 - Field Survey, Survey of slate working industry between Trebarwith and Tintagel
  • ENA460 - Field Survey,

Associated Finds

None Recorded

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