Description and History of Site:-
This is a large quarry cut horizontally into the hillside to leave a high working face at the rear, southern, end reaching more than 20m high. Part of the quarry floor is water filled where a lower bench was worked. No infrastructure remains within the quarry but a bank of lime kilns still stands on the north side of the railway line, and a stone-built cabin, 9.3m by 6.95m, also survives. The original large kiln, probably late 18th century in date, has long since been demolished.

The surviving kiln battery is substantial and is 9m in height, has two bowls and two draw arches, with impressive buttresses to the front: it is in splendid condition though becoming increasingly overgrown. When the quarry was first opened is unknown but the now-demolished kilns suggest a long history. The surviving battery post-dates the 1850s OS map and may well date from the point when the quarry took on a much more commercial role with the coming of the railway in 1888. The name R .Leech is associated with the quarry in trade directories from 1861-81. In 1895 J. Green & Son of Keighley took on the lease from the Bolton Abbey Estate, with W. Leach as manager, and held it until 1921. In 1895 they employed 60 men here, in 1901 90, in 1908 45 and from 1909-14 60 worked here. A rail spur linked the railway to the crushing plant and the quarry itself. It was shut down in 1921 but reopened in 1936 when F.W.G. Hargreaves & Son of Embsay took on the lease and erected new plant. In 1940 it was mothballed and closed again in 1945 though they maintained the lease until 1971. It was then taken over by A. Ogden & Sons (Minerals) Ltd of Otley, which company intended to boost output in a major way but they actually did little here except in 1986. It was finally closed down in 1988.

Further Reading and References:-
Johnson, D. 2010. Limestone industries of the Yorkshire Dales. Stroud: Amberley, pp. 68, 86, 212, 234, 242.

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Key Words :- disused limestone quarry

Viewing the Site :- no public access

Address :- n/a, Draughton, Skipton, North Yorkshire
Grid Ref :- SE 0580 5334
Co-ordinates :- Lat 53.976093 , Long -1.913059
Local Authority :- Craven District Council
Pre 1974 County :- Yorkshire - West Riding
Site Status :- Site extant - Protected status unknown
Site Condition :- Earthworks only
Site Dates :- pre 1860 - 1986
Record Date :- 10 January 2018

Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © David Johnson