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Water Balance Incline is a post-medieval transport incline located at Aberllefenni Slate Quarry in Meirionnydd, Wales. The incline represents a significant development in quarry transportation technology, utilising a water balance system whereby a loaded ascending carriage was counterbalanced by a descending carriage filled with water, enabling efficient movement of heavy slate materials up and down the steep quarry slopes without requiring external power. Dating from the nineteenth century, the structure exemplifies the industrial engineering innovations adopted by Welsh slate operators during the height of the slate industry. The site remains an important monument to the mechanised methods employed in extracting and transporting slate from one of Wales's most productive quarrying regions.
Water Balance Incline at Aberllefenni Slate Quarry is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference ME185. View the official record →
Water Balance Incline is a post-medieval transport incline located at Aberllefenni Slate Quarry in Meirionnydd, Wales. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference ME185.
Water Balance Incline at Aberllefenni Slate Quarry dates from the post medieval/modern period, and is classified as a incline. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across Britain.
Water Balance Incline at Aberllefenni Slate Quarry is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Cadw — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Wales. The official designation reference is ME185.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Anti-invasion Defences 2000m NE of Cwmrhwyddfor Farm (3.7 km), Maes Coch Hut Circles (5.7 km), Maes Coch Deserted Rural Settlement (5.8 km).
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Research the area around Water Balance Incline at Aberllefenni Slate Quarry