Gullet Quarry 1918 (Courtesy - Mary Weaver)
Gullet Quarry
Photos courtesy Stuart Holland
The Gullet Quarry in 1954. The area is now encompassed by the lake. Photographs taken by Birmingham Post and Mail newspaper when my grandfather was proprietor of the quarry.
Gullet in 1972 when it was still in operation. They might provide a trigger for some memories. The pictures were taken by Dave Bullard who was carrying out research for a PhD on the geology of the northern Malverns.
Memories:-
Rose Arno " Dorothy Baldwin's father worked there, possibly after 1957. I know he had an accident at the quarry and had to retire. "
Stuart Holland, " Bert Baldwin was I believe concerned with blasting during my grandfathers time and afterwards. I am still alive and kicking at 70 and living in Colwall. "
Rose Arno, "Dorothy looked after me when I was little - I still go and see her when I'm in Castlemorton. I remember her dad sitting in the corner of the room.."
Don Loader " My Dad worked at the Quarry "
Ken Dawe " Geoff Dalley's workshop later, Billy Howells, Ken Jakeman, Bill Hall, how you doing Stu ? "
Stuart Holland " Good to see your comments Ken.Others who worked at the Quarry were Len Wright ,Bill Lee ,Graham Loader ,Ken Voce,and Bert Baldwin .Bert and Graham did the blasting.Hope you are well. "
Andy Dalley " Geoff is my uncle & Bill was another of my uncles. Remember going to the quarry on the back of my Dad’s BSA and Geoff did some welding on it at the Quarry. "
Ken Dawe They worked the quarry back into the hill for many years at ground level, then they were prevented from going any further so they started to dig down & eventually formed the hole you see now, whilst they were working the quarry they used pumps to keep it dry, once they finished quarrying & removed the pumps it soon filled up, it was later landscaped & a run off formed which keeps the water levels as they are now, they had not started to dig down when the photo was taken"
John Cook " my grandfather worked the Malvern quarry he did the blasting. "
Tucked into the lower slopes of the Malvern Hills, Gullet Quarry is a dramatic, former stone-working site where a spring-fed pool now sits in a high-walled basin. The steep rock faces, quiet water and surrounding woods make the place visually striking — a favourite for photographers and walkers — but it also carries a significant industrial, geological and a safety story.
Gullet Quarry was one of the larger quarries on the Malvern ridge. Quarrying here supplied hard igneous and metamorphic stone used locally (for roadmaking and building) and continued into the mid-20th century; the workings finally ceased in the 1960s–1970s and the excavated hollow filled with groundwater and spring flow to form the present pool. Remnants of the industrial past — ledges, working faces and an old tank — remain visible in and around the site.
Gullet exposes an excellent cross-section through some of the Malvern Hills’ ancient Precambrian rocks. Visitors can see diorite, granite, gneiss, schist and pegmatite intrusions, plus veins of minerals such as calcite and haematite. These visible rock relationships make the quarry important to geologists and a useful educational stop on the Malvern Hills’ long geological story. The pool itself is sustained by spring and groundwater seepage, producing strikingly clear — but very cold — water. Since abandonment the quarry has become a small, sheltered wetland and woodland fringe. Birch and scrub have colonised parts of the rim; the pool supports aquatic life typical of deep, cold quarry lakes. The surrounding footpaths link into the wider Malvern Hills network, offering panoramic views and easy access for walkers exploring the ridge and nearby commons
Visitor information & safety
Gullet Quarry is picturesque but potentially hazardous. The pool is deep and cold, rock faces are unstable in places, and water levels have varied over time — factors that have led to drownings and repeated safety interventions. As a result, the Malvern Hills Trust and local authorities have restricted direct access and installed fencing and clear “do not swim / no entry” signage; visitors are asked to admire the site from safe viewpoints and to respect the Trust’s byelaws. Do not attempt to climb the quarry face or enter the water.
Tips for visitors
Best enjoyed from the established footpaths and viewpoints on the ridge — bring sturdy footwear.
Respect the signage and fencing: the quarry face is unstable and the water very cold.
Combine a short visit to Gullet with a walk along the Malvern ridge or a stop at nearby St. Ann’s Well or Eastnor for a longer day out.
