Inigo Jones Slate Works – Tour, Opening Times & Visitor Guide

Inigo Jones Slate Works at Y Groeslon near Caernarfon is a working Welsh slate business where visitors can learn how slate is cut, engraved and finished. A self-guided workshop tour combines video, audio commentary and exhibitions with views into the working production areas. Founded in 1861, it originally produced writing slates for schools but has evolved into a functioning production centre for architectural, memorial, and craft slate products.

Inigo Jones Slate Works at a Glance

• Best for: Couples, families, craft enthusiasts and visitors interested in Welsh industrial heritage
• Highlights: Self-guided slate workshop tour, working production areas, geological and historical displays, calligraphy exhibition and slate showroom
• Visit length: Allow around 1–2 hours for the tour, showroom and café
• Tickets: A charge applies to the self-guided workshop tour; the showroom and café can be visited separately
• Opening times: Open daily during the main season, with reduced Sunday opening outside it
• Last tour: The final self-guided tour starts before the site closes, so arrive in good time
• Parking: Large free car park with accessible bays
• Accessibility: Showroom, workshops, café and most tour areas are level or ramped; the upstairs calligraphy exhibition requires stairs
• Food and drink: On-site café available
• Location: Tudor Slate Works, Y Groeslon, Caernarfon, LL54 7UE

Underground conditions: The mine remains cool at around 9°C throughout the year, even in summer. Floors can be wet and uneven, lighting is deliberately subdued and some tunnels are low enough that visitors need to duck. Safety helmets are provided, and sensible footwear is strongly recommended.rrent Status and Opening Hours

Accessibility: The underground tour is not suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs. Visitors climb a series of staircases through three levels of the old mine and then return to the visitor centre along a mountain path, so a reasonable level of mobility is required.

Tickets and prices: Tickets are normally bought on arrival and advance booking is not required for the standard self-guided tour. Adult, child, student and family tickets are available, but check the official website for current prices before travelling.

The attraction is currently open.

• Easter to September: Open 7 days a week, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.
• October to Easter: Open Monday to Saturday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm (Closed Sundays during this period).
• Closed: Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day.
• Last Tour: The final self-guided tour of the day starts at 3:30 pm.

Welsh slate products: The showroom sells a wide range of items made from Welsh slate, including homeware, gifts, plaques, coasters, picture frames and personalised pieces. Many products are made on site by the company’s own craftspeople.

What to See and Do

Visitors can experience the Great Slate Tour, a self-guided journey through the heart of the industry.

• Educational Film: Start with a 10-minute video presentation explaining the history of Welsh slate and how it is mined and blasted.
• Workshop Walkthrough: Follow an audio guide (available in multiple languages including English, Welsh, French, German, Spanish, Chinese, and Japanese) through active workshops. You can see craftsmen in action using both traditional and modern machinery.
• Interactive Activities: Try your hand at calligraphy and letter cutting on a piece of slate, which you can then take home as a personalized souvenir.
• Exhibitions: Explore geological and historical displays, including items made for famous ocean liners like the Queen Mary.
• Showroom and Café: Browse the gift shop for locally made slate clocks, wine racks, and plaques, or visit the Gerlan Café and adjacent farm shop for meals and local produce.

Duration of Visit

On average, visitors spend 1 to 2 hours at the site. The self-guided tour itself typically takes about 1 hour to 1.5 hours, but you may want extra time for the hands-on engraving or to browse the showroom and enjoy the café.

Who Will Enjoy the Experience

• History and Geology Enthusiasts: Those interested in the industrial heritage of Wales and the formation of 500-million-year-old slate will find the exhibitions highly rewarding.
• Families with Children: The site is very family-friendly, featuring a quiz for children with a slate prize at the end to keep younger visitors engaged.
• Dog Owners: The entire site, including the tour and the café, is dog-friendly, making it a perfect stop for those travelling with pets.

Suitability and Accessibility

The attraction is generally accessible for most. It is largely on one level, making it suitable for visitors with limited mobility or those using crutches/wheelchairs. However, because it is a working industrial site, some areas may have uneven floors or dust, which might be a consideration for those with severe respiratory issues or specific sensory sensitivities.

Best Time to Visit

• For the Full Experience: Visit on a weekday during work hours to see the craftsmen actively working the machines.
• For Quietness: Arrive early at 9:00 am or later in the afternoon (before the 3:30 pm final tour) to avoid peak midday crowds.
• Weather: As many of the activities are indoors or under cover in the workshops, it is a perfect “rainy day” activity in North Wales.

What Makes It Unique

Unlike larger museum-style attractions like the National Slate Museum in Llanberis, Inigo Jones is a small, independent, and fully operational commercial workshop. The primary difference is the hands-on interaction—specifically the opportunity to carve your own slate memento—and the intimate scale that allows you to talk directly to the workers.

Budget and Cost-Effectiveness

• No Entry Fee for Shops: There is no charge to enter the showroom, café, or farm shop, making it a free stop if you just want to browse.
• Affordable Tours: The tour fee (historically around £7 per person) is widely cited by visitors as excellent value, especially as it includes a souvenir you make yourself.
• Discounts: Groups of 10 or more can receive discounts if they pre-pay. Online booking via certain third-party sites may occasionally offer minor promotional discounts (e.g., 5% off codes).
• Memberships: There is no formal annual membership like a large theme park, primarily because the site is small enough that most families visit once or twice a year rather than weekly.

Practical Advice for Visitors

• Clothing: Wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes as you are walking through a workshop environment where slate offcuts may be present. While the tour is covered, some sheds are open-sided, so bring a jacket if it’s a cold day.
• Parking: There is a large, free car park on-site with easy access from the A487 roundabout.
• Public Transport: The site is very accessible; a bus stop is located immediately adjacent to the entrance, served by routes from Caernarfon, Porthmadog, and Bangor.
• Food: You don’t need to bring your own food as the on-site café serves everything from light snacks to full meals, and the farm shop offers local treats.