Fagley and Radfield Quarries, Fagley Lane, Eccleshill, Bradford, West Yorkshire
Kelly Hunter, Lionel Firn, 2020. https://doi.org/10.5284/1058995. How to cite using this DOI
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- DOI:https://doi.org/10.5284/1058995
- How to cite using this DOI
Introduction
Survey of Crane, Crane Bases, the quarry buildings, equipment, working areas and tips prior to a residential development at Fagley Quarry and Radfield Quarry, Fagley Lane, Eccleshill, Bradford, West Yorkshire.
Fagley and Radfield Quarry are located to the west of Fagley Lane, in the hamlet of Fagley in the township of Eccleshill, now part of Bradford. Fagley Quarry is a Non-Designated Heritage Asset on the West Yorkshire Historic Environment Record and was surveyed in 1997 as part of the Monuments Protection Programme.
Sandstone and Elland flags were quarried and worked in the mid-nineteenth century from both quarries, with the earliest workings depicted on OS mapping, located to south of Throstle Nest Farm; operations continued at both Fagley and Radfield Quarries into the late-nineteenth century, declining there-after. At the time of the survey quarrying at Radfield Quarry hadn't been undertaken in sometime, however Fagley Quarry was still in use by the Hard York Quarries. Several remnant structures from the hay-day of these nineteenth century works included: a derelict Steam Powered Scotch Derrick Crane located in Fagley Quarry; as well as one crane base in Radfield Quarry; and four crane bases in Fagley Quarry. At the southern entrance to Radfield Quarry on Fagley Lane is a Cart Turning in the Field wall. The derelict Scotch Derrick Crane had a later addition of an electric winch, but the crane did not have a name-plate.
The search of the West Yorkshire Archives in Leeds and Bradford and the National Archives was undertaken, providing no specific information on Fagley Quarry. The archives for Joseph Booth and Smiths Cranes, Rodley revealed the Steam Derrick Crane on site was not manufactured there.
Both quarries have been worked intermittently according to the Annual List of Mines produced by H.M. Chief Inspector of Mines from 1897 to the 1970's (www.bgs.ac.uk).
In 1899, Fagley Quarry was operated by Harper Brothers until 1914, when it went into disuse and then from 1948 Fagley was owned and operated by Hard York Quarries to the present day.
Radfield Quarry was owned by R. Roper quarrying Elland flagstones between 1896-1899 (Godwin 1984, 14), but not listed on the HM Inspector of Mines List of Mines in 1899. Radfield Quarry was later listed as owned and worked by Oddy and Booth Ltd. in 1928 and 1948.
The 1855 First Edition Ordnance Survey map depicted an un-named quarry opposite Throstle Nest in Fagley, probably an open pit quarry for either sandstone or Elland Flags. The 1892 Edition Ordnance Survey map depicted two quarries, Radfield to the north with eleven cranes, an aqueduct and buildings (Ref. 168; 4.104 acres) and Fagley Quarry to the south (Ref. 139: 4.103 acres) with six cranes. The 1906 Edition Ordnance Survey map depicted Redfield Quarry with five cranes (Ref. 168; 4.224 acres) and Fagley Quarry with six cranes (Refs. 139 & 139a; 2.090 acres and 3.416 acres). The 1934 Ordnance Survey map depicted the area south of Throstles Nest as disused (Ref. 139; 1.958 acres), Fagley Quarry with one crane (Ref. 139a; 3.966 acres) and Radfield Quarry with two cranes (Ref. 168; 6.648 acres). The 1938 Ordnance Survey map depicted no cranes for either quarry: Radfield Quarry (Ref. 168) was 4.941 acres in size and Fagley Quarry (Ref. 139a) which was 3.769 acres in size. The cartographic regression depicted the effect of the depression on the quarries by 1938, though both quarries increased in size from 1893 to 1938. Buildings, likely associated with quarrying, were depicted at Radfield quarry from the 1908 Edition Ordnance Survey map.
As the earlier of the two quarries, Fagley Quarry, is designated as a Class III non-designated Heritage Asset; noted as a site of regional archaeological interest, owing to its production of dimension stone products since the mid-nineteenth century (West Yorkshire Historic Environment Record PRN 7018).
