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Summary

Beer quarries south of Quarry Lane. The old quarry worked intermittently from roman times to late 19th century. The quarry is entirely underground and entered via a Roman ante-chamber (with tool marks). Further inside the hill is the norman quarry, with later quarries yet further in. Stone used in roman buildings, exterior work at exeter cathedral from the early 12th century and later for external work in East Devon churches. Extensively used in devon church interiors, especially in the perp period, the quarries reaching their zenith during the 15th and early 16th centuries, after which the quarries declined,

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY28NW/6/1

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• QUARRY (Roman to XXI - 43 AD to 2009 AD (Between))

Full description

HARE, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV134273.

Berestone was used in building works and alterations at bishop's waltham palace, hampshire, residence of the bishop of winchester, in 1380-81, 1388, 1401 and 1439-42 (hare).

UPPER GREENSAND, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV134274.

Beer. Sandstone (upper greensand).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV134276.

Hoskins, w. G. /devon/(1954)259-261,331.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV134277.

Osa=sy28nw2.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV134278.

Minchinton, w. /industrial archaeology in devon/(1973)15.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV134279.

Des=griffith, f. M. /as above.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV134280.

Des=slides(21/9/1983)in smr.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV134281.

Donn, b. /map of devon/(1765).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV134282.

Hare, j. N. /archaeol. J. /145(1988)242.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV134283.

Hampshire records office=11m59bp/bw21,24,31,64,66 + 66i.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV134284.

Des=bowman, a. C. /british quarrying history/(1998).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV134285.

Des=bowman, a. /(1993)/list of quarries/in smr.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV134286.

Des=hedley, i.(1999)/mpp quarrying industry: step 3 assessment.

Bowman, A. C., Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV14682.

Operated in 1858 by rolle. Reference in 1806: quarries to let. Efp/23/11/1806/2b; 1858: used in st peters church, exeter and exeter cathedral. Stone extracted from underground (hunts mineral statistics 1858) (bowman).

Minchinton, W., Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV2310.

Vis=22/5/1958 (os) entrance consists of two adjoining caverns. As hoskins (minchinton).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV335.

Beer quarries. South of quarry lane. The old quarry worked intermittently from roman times to late 19th century. The quarry is entirely underground and entered via a roman ante-chamber (with tool marks). Further inside the hill is the norman quarry, with later quarries yet further in. Stone used in roman buildings, exterior work at exeter cathedral from the early 12th century and later for external work in e devon churches. Extensively used in devon church interiors, especially in the perp period, the quarries reaching their zenith during the 15th + early 16th centuries, after which the quarries declined (hoskins).

Griffith, F. M., Untitled Source (Report - Survey). SDV677.

Vis=21/9/1983 (griffith) visit to the underground caverns, which have not been worked since before the war and there is now a proposal to open them up for visitors. Caverns up to 10-12 ft high, roof supported on thick pillars. Toolmarks clearly visible on walls and 19th century graffitti. Some piles of spoil still visible. A number of slides taken of interior.

Donn, B., Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV87914.

Quarry and limekiln shown south of road in 1765 (donn).

Hedley, I., 1999, Quarrying Industry (Report - non-specific). SDV338675.

Underground quarry worked intermittently from Roman period to 19th century. The earliest underground remains consist of several arched tunnels bearing tool marks of alleged Roman date. Intermittent quarrying continued throughout the medieval period, providing material for Exeter Cathedral amongst other places. Production peaked in the 15th and early 16ht centuries resulting in an extensive network of underground galleries. The workings became disused in the late 19th century and the focus of the working switched to the opposite side of the road to the north of the site. The early 20th century Ordnance Survey map shows quarrying earthworks on either side of the road; those to the north are still active with several lime kilns and a crane shown. The site could not be accessed during the current assessment, The underground quarry and associated earthworks to the south of the road are now a mining museum. The area to the north is still being quarried and evidence of the earlier working may have been destroyed.

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.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV5182 - Assessment of Beer Quarry

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