Farleigh Quarry

Electric trucks at Eastlays, 109 Locomotives, main line, 68 Overhead rope haulage, 65, 82 Railways in Monkton Farleigh Quarry, 90 Tunnel Quarry, 65 Uniformity allowances, 215 United States Air Force, storage requirements at Corsham, 177 United States Army, 6833 Guardhouse Overhead Detachment, 233 United States, Neutrality Act, 111 University of Bristol, archive storage, 45... 

Research for this book has spanned a period of thirty years since the day in July 1967 when I first stumbled upon the recently abandoned bulk of Monkton Farleigh quarry. In those far-off days when cold-war paranoia was at its peak, the prospect of gaining access to official archives concerning Corsham simply did not exist, but from the mid-1980s restrictions were gradually relaxed and since 19941 have been privileged with access to many new and exciting resources. 

The future of the Monkton Farleigh project was in the balance during March due to a counter-proposal put forward by the Air Ministry, which was concerned that it would be at a tactical disadvantage if the bulk of their ammunition reserve was stored in the Southern counties (the underground magazines at Chilmark quarry having already been auth-... 

Rearmament gave the impetus to start the improvements at the CAD first proposed three years earlier. Works authorized at this time included the upgrading of the temporary districts at Monkton Farleigh, pillar strengthening in Tunnel Quarry and enhancements of the air-conditioning and ventilation in all the quarries. A further 135,000 schedule of new works, principally the improvement of the various temporary loading platforms, was not proceeded with due to financial restrictions. 

Until about 1860 the Bath stone industry was monopolized by three large firms Messrs Randall Saunders who had quarries at Corsham, Monkton Farleigh, Westwood and Combe Down Pictor Sons of Box and Sumsions with quarries at Combe Down and Monks Park. By 1885 there were at least twelve firms in fierce competition, which resulted in... 

---