Monument record 8471/1 - Loddington/Cransley Quarries (Loddington Ironstone Co.Ltd., Staverley Minerals Ltd.)

{1} Owners from 17th June 1891 Loddington Ironstone Co.Ltd.; from 7th March 1961 Staverley Minerals Ltd. Closure in 1963. This quarry was an extension of the Cransley Quarries coming into life with the loss of ore from these quarries and the need for more ore to the Cransley works. However a considerable proportion and eventually all of Loddington's output went out of the district. The Loddington quarries proper comprised of a one square mile area between the Loddington to Cransley railway branch line terminus and Orton village. This being divided into two by the ENE-WNW Loddington - Foxall road and with earlier quarries lying to the west and southwest of Loddington. Early quarrying started near Home Lodge Farm and the railway terminus. Progressing to an area south of Loddington to Harrington road during the early 20th century. The next area to be quarried was to the southwest of Orton. The quarries continued to travel towards Orton and then east towards Rothwell. As Loddington quarries continued on their westward march they came ever closer to the Pitsford quarries and at one time it was proposed that a tramway should connect them up but nothing ever came of this. The last quarry to start working was in the middle of the 1950's north of Loddington village called Greys and ran to 1963. Together with the Mawsley quarries they were the only one's in operation. The closure of Loddington must be partly the responsibilty of British Rail then in the throes of Beeching reorganisation. Where a mineral branch line served a single customer that organisation was encouraged to take over the running. The owners at the time declined and the Loddington quarries were closed on the 6th July 1963.

<1> Tonks E., 1991, The Ironstone Quarries of The Midlands (History, Operation and Railways): The Kettering Area, p.212-42 (unchecked) (Book). SNN44039.

Record last edited

May 8 2014 12:30PM