THE QUARRIES OF LAKELAND by David Glover, £15
ISBN 978-1-904147763
THIS is an extremely well researched and historically important addition to the Lake District’s topographical canon.
Quarrying has rivalled sheep farming in shaping key landscape features yet, once abandoned and overgrown, the scars often appear now to be part of the natural geology.
In this book, David Glover gives a valuable insight into the history of quarrying, explaining why most of the Lakeland sites were exploited for slate rather than stone.
Although Romans used the slate for roofing, it wasn’t until the 18th Century that the industry became seriously established.
This was a time when large stately homes were being built on the wealth of Empire.
Some of the best slate quarried in the Lake District was transported as far afield as London while the lower quality slate was used more locally.
Fascinating!
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