A planning decision that could lead to the re-opening of one of the biggest Bath Stone mines by quarry company Ham & Doulting Stone is due next month (on 11 April).

Park Lane Underground Quarry, owned by the Fuller brewery family, is under the hamlet used for the filming of the BBC TV series, ‘Larkrise to Candleford’.

The mine, in Neston, Wiltshire, covers 26acres and the agreement with the owners gives Ham & Doulting the possibility of extracting stone from another 200acres. It can be extended in all directions so, like the miners of old, Ham & Doulting will be able to avoid any geological faults or lower quality stone.

Obtaining planning permission has taken four years – a lot longer than had been expected because of local objections. A bat survey carried out over a 12month cycle contributed to the delays.
But Zak England, who runs the business with his father, Richard, says it has worked out for the best as it might not have been a good time to introduce the stone two years ago, when they had hoped to start production.

Most of the local concern has been about lorry movements, although Zak says if they extract one lorry load of stone a day they will consider the market to be excellent. Locals are also concerned about the route the lorries will take.

The original shaft to the mine has been unblocked but Ham & Doulting plan to construct a tunnel on a gentler slope to get vehicles in and out of the mine. It will be 150m long and drop 18m into the mine.
Getting the mine back into production will take some time but anyone interested in knowing more about the stone should contact Ham & Doulting.

The Bath stone will be added to the Ham, Doulting, and Blue and White Lias limestones already in the Ham & Doulting stable, the processing of which is, says Zak, at record levels.

To try to meet demand the company has recently installed another two saws to add to the eight it was already operating at its processing site in Charlton Adam, Somerset.

The Park Lane Underground Quarry was originally opened in 1880 by Randell & Saunders. It closed in the 1960s when the use of stone for construction was at a low level. The shaft was filled in, which has left the mine untouched since. It still has the stables used for many years to house the horses that pulled the stone out of the mine and the cobbled floors.