Bramley Pollard lane

[Si]

I thought so when you edited your message.No problem.I don't know anything about this area, except that I was born just off the top of the first map. Not literally, of course - Four Gables, Horsforth.

[Phill_dvsn]

Closer view

[Phill_dvsn]

Another angle

[Si]

Phill_dvsn wrote: This is what i'm a bit puzzled about. It's situated where the Aire valley dyeworks was in the rock face. Looking at your map Si it would have been hid away by the building until it got flattened. It points in the Quarry direction underneath Pollard lane. On the map, there is a small mill pond shown, and some tanks. Any relevance?Interestingly, I thought New Leeds Quarry was so-named because it was new, but the group of houses nearby are called New Leeds. I wonder why?

[jim]

Could it be to support a road or footway over an area where quarrying got "a bit close"?

[Phill_dvsn]

Si wrote: Phill_dvsn wrote: This is what i'm a bit puzzled about. It's situated where the Aire valley dyeworks was in the rock face. Looking at your map Si it would have been hid away by the building until it got flattened. It points in the Quarry direction underneath Pollard lane. On the map, there is a small mill pond shown, and some tanks. Any relevance?Interestingly, I thought New Leeds Quarry was so-named because it was new, but the group of houses nearby are called New Leeds. I wonder why? Well the 'New Leeds' quarry is a bit of a puzzle. I always thought it was called Bramley falls quarry which was quite old? Yes i can see the tank marked on the map. I guess that was for the Dyeworks (as well as the pond) But i'm thinking this brick arch was from the Quarry era perhaps? I just can't tell.

[Si]

Phill_dvsn wrote: Another angle Looking at this wider picture, I think the arch is built into the wall to strengthen it where it spans the gap in the rock. There is a similar wall (with brick arches within it) alongside the canal near Castleton Mills.

[Phill_dvsn]

I've just maked it off on the aerial picture. I hadn't realised it was SO close to the canal. Yes i think your probably right there Si. good idea.

[grumpytramp]

PhilTake a look at First Series OS map showing the Aire Vale Dye Works at:http://www.british-history.ac.uk/mapshe ... &y=335Then compare the Dye Works shown on the OS sheet posted by Si and note how it has extended towards the canal.Pure hypothesis ........ it appears that the works were extended sometime after 1851 towards the canal. To maintain the advantage of a single floor space on the works floor, they would have presumably required to cut into the hillside between the river and the canal and leaving the visible rock cuttings between the works and the canal (as shown on the aerial photo above). I assume that the embankments formed in Pollard Lane were constructed around the time of the canals construction (1780s ?) and extended/reconstructed to cross the railway. This suggest to me that its origins are related to the canal .......... and I note that the 1851 OS sheet shows coal wharf on the east side of Pollard Lane.I cant quite work out its orientation to the photos, and therefore can only speculate that it could it be either:a) the walled remains of an access to the Coal Wharf for the Dye Works for the import of coal to the plant? orb) rements of an access to wharfes by the side of the canal through the boundary wall for the export of materials and import or raw goods?Cracking find mind you!

[Phill_dvsn]

Thanks for that link and ideas Grumpytramp. The Dyeworks has certainly been extended on Si's map yes. I can't really make out what to think to be honest here It's which came first isn't it? The original building, or the canal? From what i can gather, the canal was open in 1777 in that area. It also looks pretty close to the canal to start digging out building excavations and undermine it.