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Summary

Stone quarries at Beer. Those on the south side of the road are older, being worked from Roman times. The others to the north of probable 19th century origins are superseded by an open lime-quarry. Quarries visited by Swete circa 1795 and extensively described and illustrated. He appears to have seen quarries of some sort on both sides on the road, together with workmen's huts and limekilns.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY28NW/6

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• QUARRY (Roman to Late Medieval - 43 AD to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

Unknown, Unknown (Migrated Record). SDV1416.

Beer quarry. Stone quarries at beer. Those on the south side of the road are older, being worked from roman times (see sub-sheet 1). The others to the north of ?19th century origins, and superseded by an open lime-quarry, see sub-sheet 2 (dmg). Quarries visited by swete c.1795 and extensively described and illustrated. He appears to have seen quarries of some sort on both sides on the road, together with workmen's huts and limekilns (dro).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV100328.

Osa=sy28nw2.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV100329.

Burnham, e. J. /guide to seaton and district/(1942)63.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV100330.

Worth, r. N. /tda/7(1875)213/the economic geology of devon.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV100331.

Aph=slide/(22/7/1997)/in smr.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV100332.

Aph=dap/hf 14,15/(19/12/1986).

WORTH, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV6808.

Chalk burnt at beer for agricultural use. Beerstone used in many devon buildings (worth).

Ford, A., 2001, Mark Rolle. His Architectural Legacy in the Lower Otter Valley, 63 (Monograph). SDV356721.

The freestone quarries at Beer belonged to Rolle Estate, but were let to a quarrying company.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003-2004, East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey, Site No. 2761 (Archive - Survey). SDV351568.

Beer Quarry.
SMR.

Exeter Archaeology, 2004, East Devon AONB Archaeological Survey. Beer Quarry. Assessment of Potential Management and Interpretation Requirements (Report - non-specific). SDV347606.

The old Beer Quarry was worked intermittently from the Roman period until the early 20th century. Part is now open as a visitor attraction. To the north of Quarry Lane is a separate enterprise owned by Hanson Aggregates which closed in 2001.
Beer stone was used in the Roman bath house at Honeyditches, Seaton and is thought to have been used for terrerae in the Roman legionary bath house in Exeter. It was used extensively at Exeter Cathedral from the early 12th century and also in other Devon churches. The quarries reaching their zenith in the 15th and 16th centuries but continued working into the 1920s. The Rev. Swete visited the quarries in 1795 and made sketches of the workings. He concluded that the workings on the north side of the lane had not been used for many years. Swete also looked at a nearby hollow from which agricultural lime was produced. Agricultural lime was also the main output of Hanson Aggregates. Beer stone also continued to be quarried on a small scale which proved invaluable in supplying material for recent repairs to Exeter Cathedral.
Most of the ground level workings of the old quarry are overgrown and it is difficult to determine if any structures survive, although none are apparent. It is suggested that a topographical survey be carried out of the visible remains together with a more detailed documentary research and an assessment of the industrial archaeological remains surviving in the Hanson quarry.

Torrance, J., 2010, Tidwell Lime Kiln (Correspondence). SDV355671.

Concern over the kilns in the Lime Quarry at Beer. The 1940 kilns stand in front of older ones, and the whole ensemble is an important piece of industrial archaeology.

Unknown, Unknown, Old Plan and Section of Beer Quarry (Cartographic). SDV351895.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV5182 - Assessment of Beer Quarry

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