Monument record 15819 - Ganister Quarry off Mow Lane

<1> See map for surveyor, c.1837-51, Cheshire Tithe Maps and Awards, EDT 289/2 c.1839 (Maps and Plans). SCH3266.

A quarry is not depicted on this map or recorded in the accompanying award.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1871-1882, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ8759, 1875-1891 (Maps and Plans). SCH2462.

A small quarry is depicted on the south-western side of Mow Lane. Associated is a short tramway. A pond and linear earthwork on the opposite side of the road may be associated.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1896-1898, Ordnance Survey First Revision County Series (Epoch 2) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ8759, 1898-1899 (Maps and Plans). SCH3848.

The quarry has expanded and a circular kiln is depicted to the north-east.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1909-1912, Ordnance Survey Second Revision County Series (Epoch 3) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ8759, 1909 (Maps and Plans). SCH4361.

The quarry has expanded to the south-west. There is a group of buildings at the north-eastern end of the quarry adjacent to the road. These are connected to the working face f the quarry in the south-west by tramways. The new workings have the appearance of a broad trench.

<5> The GeoInformation Group, 2005, 1940s RAF Aerial Photographs from Operation Review, CPE UK 1935 (17/01/1947) or 106G UK 1459 (02/04/1946) or 106G UK 645 (11/08/1945) (Aerial Photograph). SCH4608.

Not all of the quarry site is covered in this survey; The broad trench-like workings previously described have been extended a further c.240 metres to the south-west. The depth of shadow on this photograph makes it difficult to ascertain if the quarry is still in operation.

<6> Huntings Surveys Ltd, 1971-1973, 1971-1973 County Survey, HSL UK 71 164 Run 41 no.0322, 25/08/1971 (Aerial Photograph). SCH4881.

The quarry appears disused, though buildings located adjacent to Mow Lane may still be in use.

<7> Unknown, Various, Mow Cop Interactive, Astbury Lime Works (Web Site). SCH7739.

Ganister works and quarry. Initially the ganister was ground on site and transported by horse and cart to Astbury sidings until a steam powered aerial ropeway, which originally transported coal from a wharf at Black Cob, was re-routed to the quarry. A combustion engine replaced the steam engine and powered the ropeway and the mortar mill that powdered the ganister.

<8> Environment Agency, 2003-2020, Environment Agency LiDAR Surveys, Composite DSM 1m 2020 (Digital Archive). SCH7819.

<9> Munro, M, c.2004-2014, Aerial Ropeways, UK Gazetteer: Astbury Silica Mine (Web Site). SCH9390.

The ropeway is depicted as a dotted line, and marked as 'Aerial Ropeway (Disused)', on the Ordnance Survey, Six-Inch map of 1954 (see 10). It ran from the quarry to a railway siding on the North Staffordshire Railway at Astbury Sidings via an angle station at NGR SJ 864 592. D Kitching reported in 2010 that the ropeway was apparently originally installed to serve a colliery further up the hill, and sometime after its closure, the ropeway was redirected to the Ganister works.

<10> Ordnance Survey, 1948-1977, National Grid Imperial First Editions (Epoch i5) 6 inch to 1 mile, SJ85NE 1954 (Maps and Plans). SCH9391.