These Grade II* slate quarry buildings on the high hills of the Pen yr Orsedd Quarry are surrounded by mountains and look down on Nantlle Lake.

The quarry opened around 1816 when it was worked by William Turner. In 1863 it was bought by W A Darbishire and Co, after which it underwent substantial modernisation, reflecting the use of both water and steam power. During the 1890s about 450 men worked here; it finally closed in 1997.

There are workshops, winding drumhouses, a barracks, a hospital, compressor house and slate mills. The intention is to adapt these historic industrial buildings as a training and workshop centre for the repair and manufacture of heritage engineering items, for example the principal parts of an historic bus, or an excavator or a steam locomotive.

It is envisaged that much of the day-to-day income will come from making items like street furniture or Victorian-style conservatories.

It will provide training and employment in one of the most deprived wards in Wales, and probably Western Europe, with high unemployment.

Skills will include traditional ones such as blacksmithing and carpentry, in conjunction with modern ones such as computer-aided design, marketing and business skills.

The project has the support of the Bangor University Innovations Centre, and will feed into training and degree courses.

The plan is for the workshop to become the main work area, while the offices, where the men used to collect their wages, will become the welfare block with facilities for people working and training on site, and for visitors.

More photos of Pen yr Orsedd.
Nantlle pupils visit the quarry for Video Nation.
More on Restoration.