Westwood Quarry was originally a Bath stone quarry, dating from the mid 19th century. Production ceased in the early 1900s and part of the site was then used for mushroom growing. At the outbreak of World War II, like many of the Wiltshire quarries, it was requisitioned for use by the War Office.
Part of the site was used by Royal Enfield for the production of gun sights and other instruments. Other areas were used for the storage of artefacts from London Museums including the British Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum plus the Public Record Office. Some alterations (widening and levelling) were needed to faciliate both wartime uses.
Royal Enfield continued limited activity at the site until the 1960s, when the site started being used for commercial records storage. Later, part of the quarry recommenced stone extraction, principally for heritage and restoration work. Sub Brit visited in 1992, when evidence of all aspects of the quarry’s rich history could be discerned.