Glion Kiark “Glen of the Grouse”

A lovely walk today to this isolated building.

It is the site of an old slate quarry workings at the foot of Sartfell Mountain, this building is clearly visible when looking approximately South-East from the TT Course half-way up Barregarrow Hill.

This quarry originally employed about twenty quarrymen, many of whom were Welsh, who came over to the Island following the closures of quarries in their homeland. It closed in about 1874 due to the poor quality of the slate and the buildings subsequently fell into disrepair.

The ruins are those of the blacksmiths shop, stables, a pay office and accommodation for the men.

The belfry at the end of building deceptively gives it the appearance of an old church. In fact, the bell which it once housed was used to signal the beginning and ending of the mens work shifts, which ran day and night.

The old quarry building is very desolate and quite a hard place to get to it has very steep slopes and ravines to cross and a good set of walking boots are a must.

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