User:GyroMagician/Malvern

Quarries
Larger Quarries:

Hollybush, Midsummer Hill, SO 762370 - part of the Eastnor Castle estate. The Gullet, Swineyard Hill, SO 763380 - last to finish works, 1977 Earnslaw Quarry, The Wyche, SO 772442 and SO 772447 - Run by R.C.Laird (Robert Laird), then Malvern Hills Granite Company Ltd., then bought by Worcestershire County Council and leased to the Malvern Hills Conservators, given to them in 2007 North Quarry, North Hill, SO 771469 Tank Quarry, End Hill, SO 768470 - Pyx Granite Co. Ltd., closed 1970, largest quarry on Hills.

There are also remains from the workings of many smaller, older quarries dotted about the Hills.

Taken from MIAC.

1907 - Pyx Granite Co. Ltd. obtain license from Berington's to quarry at Little Malvern and later at North Hill. 1912 - so much stone being moved between quarries and Malvern Wells and Malvern link train stations that roads were virtually impassible. 1924 - Malvern hills Act - Conservators given extra powers to raise funds and compulsorily purchase quarries, with the intention of stopping quarrying on the Hills completely by 1960. 1929 - Conservators compulsory purchase powers expire. Inadequate funds meant that several quarries continued to operate.

1977 - Quarrying at the Gullet ends.

When did quarrying start? When did it stop? What quarries are/were there on the hills Many local buildings, particularly  those of the gothic Victorian  architecture of large villas and churches, are made from Malvern granite 'rag-stone' - odd-shaped rather than cut into bricks due to its hardness,  and used with  sandstone  quoins,  jambs, and lintels. Quarries today - what to say? Tank quarry recently returned to control of conservators.

Diving in the Gullet

http://www.worcesterdivers.com/dive-site-resources/gullet-quarry/

Climbing

While the geology of the Hills makes much of the area unsuitable for climbing, there are several climbable routes.

Conservation value of quarries (habitat for bats/birds/etc)

Habitat
Malvern Hills AONB contains 15 SSSI's (http://www.malvernhillsaonb.org.uk/pages/key_features.asp)

Discuss grazing, both with sheep and cattle, to reduce scrub and improve habitat for flowers. Also mention that it was initially (still?) unpopular with dog walkers.

Malvern Hills Conservators maintain a flock of Cheviot ewes, and a small herd of Galloway and Belted Galloway cattle, grazed on the Hills and commons to help maintain the habitat by keeping down encroaching bracken and gorse.