Materials and conservation work

Copings and sills were among the products donated for the project, according to Roofing Today. Welsh Slate, part of Breedon Group plc, supplied the materials for work led by Cyngor Gwynedd and Cadw.

The hospital is known locally as Ysbyty Brynllwyd and is a Scheduled Monument. The conservation project has concentrated on stabilising and preserving the surviving structure after years of deterioration.

Funding for the work comes through Llewyrch o’r Llechi, a cultural investment programme led by Cyngor Gwynedd and financed by the UK Government. The hospital project is among a series of improvements linked to the World Heritage designation of the Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales.

A hospital for quarry workers

Built in the 19th century, the hospital provided medical care for people working at Penrhyn Quarry. Workers made regular contributions towards its running costs, giving them access to treatment if they were injured.

Inpatient admissions ended in 1931. The building remained in use on a more limited basis before closing altogether, and its condition declined over the decades that followed.

The partners’ response

Breedon planning manager Shaun Denny said the donation reflected the company’s responsibility towards the heritage of the community in which Welsh Slate operates. He said the project would help people learn about the hospital’s connections with quarry workers and local life.

Councillor Medwyn Hughes, Cyngor Gwynedd’s cabinet member for economy and community, said economic, social and cultural regeneration of slate communities had been an objective in seeking UNESCO recognition. The area received World Heritage status in July 2021. He credited collaboration with local people and Breedon Welsh Slate with enabling investment in the hospital’s conservation.

Community event and future use

Local regeneration organisation Partneriaeth Ogwen has organised an event to mark completion of the work at Neuadd Ogwen in Bethesda on Tuesday, 29 September 2026. It will run from 5pm to 6pm, with refreshments available from 4.30pm. Proceedings will be in Welsh, with simultaneous translation available.

People involved in the project will explain the conservation work and discuss proposals for the site. Ideas include on-site and digital interpretation, signage and a possible Friends of the Quarry Hospital group. These are subjects for discussion rather than confirmed next stages of work.

The programme also includes the first screening of Ein Hanes Ni. The short film follows pupils from Ysgol Pen-y-bryn as they explore the history and heritage of Dyffryn Ogwen.

After the event, attendees will be able to visit the hospital. Partneriaeth Ogwen will provide transport to the site.