|
Delabole
Slate has been used as a building material for well over 600 years,
and has been quarried continuously since the early 17th century,
when Carew in his survey of Cornwall wrote 'in substance thin, in
colour fair, in lasting long and generally carrieth good regard'.
 |
| Old
machinery exhibit at Delabole Slate's headquarters |
During
the reign of Elizabeth I, the five quarries that existed within
the vicinity of the present pit assumed considerable importance,
delivering slate 'throughout the realm, and even exporting it by
sea to Brittany and the Netherlands'.
In
1841, the five quarries formed themselves into a single controlled
unit, and the Old Delabole Slate Company was formed, becoming the
present Limited liability company in 1898.
 |
| King
George Vi on a visit to the Delabole Slate Quarry |
The
Old Delabole Slate Company had a long and chequered history before
finally being liquidated in 1977 by the company's bankers.
After
this, the quarry moved into corporate hands but this era was short
lived and in June 1999 a management buy-out returned the quarry
to local ownership.
 |
| Delabole
Slate Quarry as it looks today |
The
Delabole Slate Company Ltd is now, once again, a private Cornish
company.
"The
slate quarry probably started in Medieval Times," says George Hamilton,
the Managing Director of The Delabole Slate Company. "The village
grew up around the industry. The quarry itself is about half a mile
long and a quarter of a mile across. The quarry is around 400 feet
deep."
 |
| Delabole
Slate is still shipped all over the United Kingdom |
Over
the years the slate from Delabole has been shipped all over the
world. Now business is mainly contained within the UK with a lot
of slate remaining in the south west.
The
mining for slate in Delabole has changed over the years.
"It
is not like it used to be," smiles George. "There would be lots
of men with digging tools using dynamite too. It is all fairly quiet
now and more environmentally friendly. We only have about five people
in the actual quarry. What they do is drill down a vertical hole,
then they put in two little horizontal holes to join up. Then they
pass wire through the holes and join it up. And cut it out that
way."
 |
| The
finished product - the slate can be found in many gardens |
The
Delabole Slate Company has many plans for the future. George Hamilton
is hoping that in the next few years the area will have its own
visitor centre.
With
many old pictures and artefacts the centre would be able to tell
more about the fascinating story of slate from Delabole and the
men who mined for it.
Meet
Wesley Mills, Delabole's old meter reader
Chris Hore is the village webmaster
Visit the Gaia Energy
Centre in Delabole
|
