Volume Nine - Pre-Victorian to the present day - even more aspects - Radyr Stone  . . .

Whilst researching the story of alabaster in the cliffs at Penarth contact was made with an expert and gentleman by the name of Michael Statham who corrected an error I had made regarding alabaster having been mined at Penarth Head; it was in fact mined from the cliffs at Lavernock! Michael, a professional environmental scientist, had written an article for 'The Journal of Glamorgan History Morgannwg' [412] [413] which is published in full in Volume LVIII 2014. Michael kindly gave permission to use selected text from his work to illustrate the story of Radyr Stone, the Radyr Quarry and its use at Penarth Dock etc.

Introduction - Radyr stone is a red coloured conglomerate laid down as the result of a flash flood in a desert wadi (A dried up riverbed through a desert valley found in mountainous areas) during the Triassic Period some 220 million years ago. It comprises pebbles and sub-angular fragments of Devonian grits and sandstones and Carboniferous Limestone ranging from 6in. (0.15m) in length. It is a massive deposit, which at Radyr attained a thickness of 60ft. (18.2m).

Although it is difficult to work due to its pebbly structure, and is unsuitable for intricate carving or harsh environments such as sewers, its popularity stemmed from the fact that it was the only locally available 'freestone'. When cut to a smooth finish it is highly decorative but, as time has demonstrated, some of the beds are rather prone to weathering.

Although it had been worked on a small scale at Radyr for many centuries, the largest quarry was opened to provide stone for the construction of Penarth Dock.

The Ely Tidal Harbour and Railway Company and the Penarth Harbour, Dock and Railway Company - The Ely Tidal Harbour and Railway Act was passed in 1856. The contractor for the works was Messrs Rennie and Logan. (Minutes of the Board of the Company state that the contractor was named Rennie & Company) Work had commenced by 1857 and huts were erected to accommodate the navvies working on the railway line, which ran from the junction with the Taff Vale Railway at Radyr to the new tidal harbour on the north side of the River Ely. The works were completed in 1859. It is possible Radyr quarry may have been started by this time.

In 1858 the Penarth Harbour, Dock and Railway Company (PHDRC) Act was passed and the company changed its name. Work to build a new dock and connecting railways on the south side of the River Ely commenced in 1859.