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Seven Sisters Quarry

Bathampton Down, Bath.

Seven Sisters was probably the largest of the quarries on the edge of Bathampton Down. The name was associated with the seven entrances.

It is possible the nearby Collapse Mine was originally part of the Seven Sisters Quarry workings.

Alternative Names: Seven Sisters Mine

Notes: Quarrying on Bathampton Down was mostly confined to the eastern side of the hill overlooking the valley of the River Avon. The earliest records mention quarrying here as early as 1479. It is understood that Ralph Allen began developing surface quarries here, beginning in about 1730.

In the first decade of the nineteenth century, an inclined tramway was built to transport the quarried stone from Seven Sisters Quarry, down to the Kennet and Avon Canal under construction below.

There was a small revival of quarrying in 1810 as the canal company used the stone for building docks and lock walls but generally, the Bath stone was found to be of an inferior quality. By at least 1847, the quarries and tramway were disused and the Seven Sisters Quarry, and others were abandoned. James Tunstall in his 'Rambles around Bath' published in 1847 described "descending the rugged path to a quarry, deserted by all living things."

Unfortunately, it was decided that the underground quarries were dangerous and needed to be sealed by the City Council. The Territorial Army was called in to dynamite the existing entrances.

The following is the Bath Evening Chronicle report published Friday 15 June 1962 Page 14

More Bangs by Army at Bathampton

Army Sappers are to continue demolition work at Hampton Rocks, Bath, this weekend. A spokesman said today : "We hope it will be the last time we shall disturb the inhabitants of Bathampton."

Members of the 204 Field Squadron R. E. (T.A.) are once again to use live explosives on Bath Golf Club grounds, when they carry out their operations this weekend, and because of the danger of flying rock, sentries will be posted at different points and red flags flown.

Warning

The public are warned to keep at a safe distance during the demolition work. Children, in particular are asked not to go near the area. A member of the demolition squad said : "It is a long job because of the difficulty in blocking up the large cave entrances." Troops will being their work at 2pm tomorrow and continue until 7.30pm on Sunday, the Army plan to be working on the caves between 9.30am and 3.30pm.

Bath Evening Chronicle - Monday 18 June 1962 Page 5

Cave Blasting Ends, but more work

Territorials worked throughout the weekend to complete the destruction of the seven caves at Hampton Rocks, Bath. It had been hoped that, as a result their work on Saturday and yesterday, the R.E.s would have ended the task on which they embarked some time ago. But an Army spokesman said today that it was expected it would be a month to six weeks before they could finish making a gradual slope from the golf course down into the hollow where the caves existed. Captain M. B. Harrison, second in command of 204 Field Squadron R.E. (T.A.) supervised the work at the weekend.