Corris Uchaf
Encyclopedia
Corris Uchaf locally known as Top Corris, is a village
lying in the south of the Snowdonia National Park in Gwynedd
, Wales
. The name is believed to be derived from the English word "quarries", and the extensive slate quarries
that surround the village are its most prominent historical feature.
The village lies in the valley of the Afon Deri, and is threaded by the A487 road
, a trunk road
between Dolgellau
and Machynlleth
. To the south the Deri runs into the Afon Dulas
in the neighbouring village of Corris
.
Among the quarries that once thrived around the village are Abercwmmeiddaw and Abercorris (also known as Cwmodyn) on the east bank of the river, and Gaewern and Braichgoch
on the western slopes of the valley.
A narrow-gauge horse-drawn tramway carried slate
in waggons from the quarries to Maespoeth Junction
, where they joined the main line of the narrow gauge Corris Railway
which took them onward to Machynlleth.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
lying in the south of the Snowdonia National Park in Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. The name is believed to be derived from the English word "quarries", and the extensive slate quarries
Slate industry in Wales
The slate industry in Wales began during the Roman period when slate was used to roof the fort at Segontium, now Caernarfon. The slate industry grew slowly until the early 18th century, then expanded rapidly until the late 19th century, at which time the most important slate producing areas were in...
that surround the village are its most prominent historical feature.
The village lies in the valley of the Afon Deri, and is threaded by the A487 road
A487 road
The A487 is a trunk road in Wales, running up the western side of the country from Haverfordwest in the south to Bangor in the north.It starts at Merlin's Bridge near Haverfordwest, from where it travels north west to St David's, then switches back north east through Fishguard, Cardigan, Aberaeron,...
, a trunk road
Trunk road
A trunk road, trunk highway, or strategic road is a major road—usually connecting two or more cities, ports, airports, and other things.—which is the recommended route for long-distance and freight traffic...
between Dolgellau
Dolgellau
Dolgellau is a market town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, lying on the River Wnion, a tributary of the River Mawddach. It was the county town of the former county of Merionethshire .-History and economy:...
and Machynlleth
Machynlleth
Machynlleth is a market town in Powys, Wales. It is in the Dyfi Valley at the intersection of the A487 and the A489 roads.Machynlleth was the seat of Owain Glyndŵr's Welsh Parliament in 1404, and as such claims to be the "ancient capital of Wales". However, it has never held any official...
. To the south the Deri runs into the Afon Dulas
Afon Dulas
The Afon Dulas is a river forming the border between the counties of Gwynedd and Powys in Wales.Prior to local government reorganisation it formed the boundary between Sir Meirionnydd/Merionethshire and Sir Drefaldwyn/Montgomeryshire.-Route:It rises from a source in the hills above Aberllefenni...
in the neighbouring village of Corris
Corris
Corris is a village in the south of Snowdonia in the Welsh county of Gwynedd. Although the Snowdonia National Park covers much of the area around Corris, the village is not within the park. The name is possibly derived from the English word "quarries", and the extensive slate quarries that surround...
.
Among the quarries that once thrived around the village are Abercwmmeiddaw and Abercorris (also known as Cwmodyn) on the east bank of the river, and Gaewern and Braichgoch
Braichgoch Slate Mine
Braichgoch Slate Mine was a large slate mine located in Corris Uchaf, north Wales. It was worked continuously from 1787 until closure in 1970, apart from a hiatus in the 1900s...
on the western slopes of the valley.
A narrow-gauge horse-drawn tramway carried slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
in waggons from the quarries to Maespoeth Junction
Maespoeth Junction
Maespoeth Junction lies to the south of Corris in Gwynedd and was where the horse-hauled tramway from the slate quarries around Corris Uchaf met the main line of the Corris Railway coming from Aberllefenni...
, where they joined the main line of the narrow gauge Corris Railway
Corris Railway
The Corris Railway is a narrow gauge preserved railway based in Corris on the border between Merionethshire and Montgomeryshire in Mid-Wales....
which took them onward to Machynlleth.