HistoryPoints News

Jan 22, 2022

Female visitor's quarry death


Very few women died in Wales' extensive quarries but the Dinorwig slate quarry was so vast and spectacular that it attracted many visitors, including royalty. In 1853 farm servant Catherine Williams was viewing the quarry with two other women when a piece of rock ...

struck her in the back. She died soon afterwards. Her inquest was held at the quarry's original hospital, which was replaced in 1860 by the one you can visit today. The original one was buried under waste rock in the 1930s. To read more of its history, use your smartphone to scan the HistoryPoints QR codes beside the ruined slate mill building near the Allt Ddu entrance to the quarry (near the bus turning circle). Or click here