This area, in the south of Gwynedd, is some distance from Bethesda, Llanberis, Nantlle and Blaenau Ffestiniog – showing how important slate quarrying has been throughout the county.
This area is centred on Dinorwig Quarry. It’s an astoundingly beautiful landscape, with Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), Llyn Padarn and Llyn Peris at it's heart. Dolbadarn Castle has guarded this valley since the 13th Century.
In 1873, the town of Blaenau Ffestiniog was described as “dinas y llechi” [“slate city”], as it was the largest town in the slate quarrying areas. Investors from England and Ireland developed a series of quarries aro
Every stage in the process of producing and selling slate can be seen in this area, from Penrhyn Quarry to Port Penrhyn.
Both the Gorseddau and Prince of Wales quarries were developed between 1850 and 1870, the “Golden Age” of the slate i
Dyffryn Nantlle has a lengthy and complex archaeological history. Topography and geology have meant that quarries have been confined within very limited areas.
