Gilfach Ddu

Gilfach Ddu is an industrial museum in Llanddeiniolen that displays the repair workshops of a major slate quarry operation. The buildings contain blacksmith shops, foundries, engine sheds, and storage areas equipped with historical tools and machinery.

The workshops were built in 1870 to repair and maintain equipment for the nearby Dinorwic slate quarry. They operated for about 100 years until the quarry closed in 1969.

The site reflects how workers in Wales practiced their crafts in slate production and the techniques passed down through generations. The preserved workshops show the daily labor and skilled trades that shaped the region's identity.

Visiting the workshops requires walking through multiple buildings and navigating uneven ground, so comfortable shoes are important. The water-powered machinery is most active in good weather, so visiting during dry conditions is ideal.

Two operational waterwheels still power machinery in the workshops, showing how 19th-century engineers harnessed water to run an entire facility. This rare working installation lets visitors see how the system actually functioned.

Location: Llanddeiniolen

Inception: 1870

Elevation above the sea: 105 m

GPS coordinates: 53.12090,-4.11516

Latest update: December 14, 2025 13:04