MineArchiveSwelltor Quarry
| Also known as | Swell Tor Quarry, Swelltor Quarries |
|---|---|
| Location | Swell Tor, west of Princetown, above the old Princetown railway, Devon — 50.5412, -4.0343 (exact) |
| Commodity | Granite |
| Type | Quarry |
| Worked | 19th century–1938 |
| Maximum depth | Unknown. |
Overview
A large granite quarry on Swell Tor near Princetown, served by a spur of the Princetown railway, which took over from Foggintor in 1906; corbels cut for the widening of London Bridge in 1902 still lie unused beside the old line.
History
Swelltor Quarry lies on the slopes of Swell Tor above the old Plymouth to Princetown line, one of a group of granite quarries near Princetown with Foggintor, King's Tor, Ingra Tor and Merrivale. The granite was carried away first along the horse tramway of 1823 and then by the Princetown Railway, opened in 1883, from which a spur ran up into the quarry; the remains of a blacksmith's shop and a railway platform survive beside the track.
Stone from Swelltor was used in rebuilding London Bridge late in the nineteenth century, and about a dozen dressed granite corbels cut for the widening of the old London Bridge in 1902-04 were never collected and still lie beside the line; one source has some of them sent as spares to America when the bridge was moved there. In 1906 the owners stopped work at Foggintor in favour of Swelltor. The quarry employed up to 90 men before the First World War and closed in the 1920s; it reopened briefly in 1937 and has not been worked since 1938. In 1937 it was also a location, with Foggintor, for the film Owd Bob.
Geology
Dartmoor granite.
Workings
Large open granite workings with spoil-heap buttresses, served by a spur from the Princetown railway.
Closure
Closed in the 1920s; briefly reopened in 1937 and last worked in 1938.
What remains
A large disused quarry with spoil heaps, a blacksmith's shop ruin and unused corbels beside the trackbed.
Quarry faces, spoil heaps, the railway spur, ruined buildings and a dozen unused corbels.
Redevelopment
The old railway trackbed is a walking route.
Related mines
- Foggintor Quarry — Neighbouring Princetown granite quarries; work moved from Foggintor to Swelltor in 1906.
Nearby mines
- Foggintor Quarry — 0.4 miles (0.6 km) NE
- Merrivale Quarry — 1.4 miles (2.3 km) NW
- Whiteworks Mine — 2.1 miles (3.3 km) E
- Keaglesborough Mine — 2.1 miles (3.4 km) SE
- Eylesbarrow Mine — 3.9 miles (6.4 km) SE
Straight-line distance, within 9 miles (15 km). Show on the map.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- Employed up to 90 men before the First World War, closed in the 1920s, briefly reopened in 1937 and has not been worked since 1938. 1
- Corbels carved for the widening of the old London Bridge in 1902 were never collected and still lie near the quarry. 1,2
- In 1906 quarrying at Foggintor stopped in favour of the nearby Swell Tor Quarry. 3
- The corbels originated at Swell Tor, according to most writers. 3
- The Plymouth to Princetown railway below the quarry opened in 1883 and closed in 1956. 1
Sources
- (secondary) Swelltor, Dartmoor — Teresa's Dartmoor pages (teresa.me.uk)
- (observational) Walk 2011-4-6: Merrivale East, London Bridge corbels and Swelltor Quarry — Dartmoor CAM Walks
- (secondary) Foggintor — Legendary Dartmoor
Record created: 17 October 2026 · Last researched: 17 October 2026