The Club Hut - Ty Powdwr: - History
Ty Powdwr was originally the black powder store for the Dinorwic Slate Quarries. The KMC selected the name for the building to reflect its historic use. The quarrymen blasted away a large fraction of the local mountain, Elidir Fawr, to obtain the slate that was one of the most common roofing materials in the 19th Century. Many men died in the process, but only about 1% of the slate extracted from the mountain actually made it onto roofs. Mining stopped during the 1960's as cheaper, better quality slate began to arrive from Spain and China.
When the KMC purchased the building in the early 1970's, Ty Powdwr was virtually a solid blockhouse, surrounded by blast walls and with no windows. Over the first 10 years members laboured in horrible conditions to provide electricity, gas, water and sewerage. Over the next 15 years or so, various bits were finished off and finally, the hut was developed from end to end. In subsequent years though, the members responsible for the building have continued to upgrade in the light of experience and new technology, reducing energy bills while increasing comfort and improving facilities. Maintenance of the Hut is an ongoing task!
A View over Ty Powdwr to Snowdon
