The Rock of Penmaenmawr - Bangor Road, Penmaenmawr, Conwy, Wales - UK Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

This memorial to the long history of stone-working and quarrying in Penmaenmawr is located next to the towns main bus stop.

The monument consists of a large upright monolith of Penmaenmawr rock and two slate plaques. One of the plaques has a bi-lingual inscription, whilst the second shows two scenes from periods mentioned on the other plaque (A Stone age axe maker and a Victorian Sett maker).

There has been Stone-working and quarrying taking place at Penmaenmawr since Neolithic times. Axe-heads and other implements fashioned from its distinctive stone have been found at archaeological sites throughout the British Isles. In the Victorian era the quarry at Penmaenmawr brought prosperity to the town. The towns stone was shipped to Liverpool and other major ports, then by canal or road and ship to its final destination. With the coming of the railways and the rise of the automobile, the stone became sought-after for rail ballast, road building and the making of concrete. Large quantities of the stone was used in the construction of the Mersey Tunnel.

The inscription on the main plaque reads:

Carreg Penmaenmawr

Yma mae'r garreg caletaf ym Mhrydain
ond eto naddwyd i greu bwyelli
5000 of flynnyddoedd yn ol
ac o 1830 ymlaen chwythwyd, malwyd
a naddwyd i greu cerrig i wynebu ffyrdd
a phalmentydd, cerrig adeiladu a balast
i'r rheilffyrdd ymhell ag agos

The Rock of Penmaenmawr

Here is the hardest rock in Britain
yet it was shaped 5000 years ago
to create axes and from 1830 onwards
blasted, crushed and trimmed to
surface roads and pavements,
to provide stones for building
and ballast for railways far and wide

Type of Historic Marker: Stone monolith and plaques. Historical Marker Issuing Authority: Unknown, Give your Rating: Age/Event Date: Not listed Related Website: Not listed

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