During the winter of 1739 and spring of 1740 Ralf Allen opened up a new quarry Byfield to give employment. The works were open cast from the top rather than by tunneling, as the dangerous older ones were, although eventually tunneling became inevitable.
Coxe’s Quarry adjoins Firs Quarry and also linked to Byfield Quarry – these all closed in 1935 and are now sealed with expanded concrete
Steve Geliot was commissioned to create a multi screen immersive 3d flythrough of the historic mine working before it was filled in. Working with the lazerscan datacloud produced by APR services as part of the archaeological assessment, If you have red cyan anaglyph 3d glasses you can get the effect. Red lens over left eye.
Quarrying on Combe Down has taken place since the Roman era. John Leland travelling to Bath in 1540 noted quarries south of the city of Bath, and a larger quarry on his second visit a while later. Oluf Borch in 1663 mentions underground workings near Bath, both most likely at Combe Down. Lots of the open workings have now been filled and built over. The earliest date noted in the quarry marked on a sawn face is 1821. Combe Down railway tunnel passes beneath this quarry.
