BORRAS QUARRY – Currently a working sand and gravel quarry, the site has seen many changes over the years. The historical story can be tracked back as far as the last Ice Age.

Let our resident geologist Dr. Jacqui tell you about the interesting things that have happened in this North East corner of Wales.

“Borras Quarry is on the Wrexham delta terrace. This was formed at the end of the last Ice Age (14,000 years ago) at the junction of two ice sheets, one from the Irish Sea and one from Snowdonia. When the ice melted, it left behind a large delta of sands and gravels. These are now quarried for building materials."

Did you know the last Ice Age changed the course of the river Dee. It had previously flowed south from Chirk, to join the River Severn, but the glacial moraine blocked its path and turned it north to make its present course.

The landscape around Borras consists of many glacial landforms including Kettle holes. They formed following the melting of buried ice blocks that had become detached from the glacier. The sediment covering the blocks collapsed into the cavity creating a hollow. Today these are commonly filled with water.

Evidence has been uncovered that suggests Wrexham could have been a small Roman settlement. The modern town grew up in the Middle Ages; establishing itself as a market town. By the late 18^th century Wrexham was transformed with the coming of the Industrial Revolution. During this time the population grew from under 3000, to over 10,000 by 1881.

In the 19th century the wool industry had all but died out and Wrexham became known for its coal mining. Coal was mined around Wrexham up until the last pit closed in the 1980's.

Gresford Colliery would have been one of the biggest employers in the Wrexham district giving work to 2200 miners (1850 underground, 350 surface). The site had two shafts Dennis (North) and Martin (South) sunk 50 yards apart. The sinking of the colliery began in 1908 and was completed in 1911. Dennis shaft carried men, coal and fresh air down into the colliery. Martin shaft carried men and supplies and brought the stale air out of the colliery. 

 Did you know it is believed that some of the shafts from Gresford Colliery were over a mile deep and spread out across the Borras area, even under the quarry.

At 2am on Saturday the 22^nd September 1934, a massive explosion rocked the Dennis section of the mine. Despite the desperate efforts of rescuers the decision was taken to abandon any further rescue attempts. On the 23^rd September, the pit was sealed off, but on the following Tuesday another explosion blew the seal, killing a shaft worker. In all the disaster claimed 266 lives, including 3 rescue workers. Gresford Colliery remained open until November 1973.

As the Second World War loomed the RAF were looking for a site for new relief landing grounds. With its history of flying, Borras was an ideal location, and it had the space, it was flat and its sandy soil gave good drainage. By 1940 the Air Ministry Works Department owned Borras Lodge.

RAF Wrexham played an important role during the Second World War as Borras Airfield was used to protect Liverpool, Manchester, Crewe & Stoke–on-Trent from air attacks from the German Luftflotten.

Did you know up until recently there was still 20% of one of the  three runways only metres from the Eco Centre, which itself is an original outbuilding used during the war to house Air Squadron 96.

The airbase was sold to United Gravel Co in 1959, and sand and gravel extraction started in the early 1970's. The site was taken over in 1986 by Tarmac Quarry Products Ltd. and the site began to grow and change.

Did you know the Millennium Eco Centre opened in 1998; the wheel you see the picture above was found on Borras quarry. It is believed to be the sister wheel to the one found at the Gresford Colliery Memorial. It was uncovered in the long grass with a 10 year old silver birch tree growing through it. The story is that the previous quarry owner bought the wheel to use at the entrance to the quarry, It now sits just inside the entrance of the Centre, and acts as a reminder of our local heritage.

Tarmac have worked more than 2.5 million tonnes of sand and gravel in the last seven years.  

 

Over the next 20 to 25 years Borras Quarry will supply 15 million tonnes of high quality sand and gravel for use in the construction industry in North Wales and the North West of England. These are the raw materials that go towards making roads and new houses.

During 2003 Tarmac submitted a planning application to extend Borras Quarry, Borras Airfield and the Holt Estate. The application site covered 173 hectares and was made up of 99 hectares at Borras Airfield and 74 hectares at Holt Estate. Central to the application to extend Borras Quarry was Tarmac,  and its partner’s commitment to the long-term restoration of the site. The Holt Estate site will be restored back to agricultural land and woodland, and the old airfield and processing areas into a community country park.”