The vein, trending east-west, outcropped on the eastern slopes of Gorn Hill within Silurian rocks of the Frongoch Formation.
site includes a range of processing features, such as ore bins, jiggers, a crusher, slimes pits, and a washing/picking floor. These are poorly preserved at the foot of the hill near the deep adit at SN 9810 8410, in an overgrown area. A leat runs up the valley to a now-dry reservoir. Ancillary buildings once included a counting house, smithy, mine office, and storesheds, though only low rubble platforms remain. Barracks, possibly prefabricated, are thought to have been located at Cwm or Newchapel, but no remains have been found. The preservation of the dressing floors and buildings is generally poor.
Stoped to surface with deep adit. Bick states:
In 1957 the adits were still open, the one close to the stream turning south a short distance within, and perhaps driven on the barium lode. Both levels as now run in, but a waterheel is still visible and there appears to be vestiges of an inclined plane coming down through the woods.
| Year | Activity |
|---|---|
| 1800s | Worked by Thomas Hilditch and family. Later taken over by Newtown based company. |
| 1849 | Labourer named Mantle killed after being pulled into water wheel whilst oiling crusher. Matthew Francis produces report indicating four adit driven in ore, with fifth level at deeper level showing lode getting poorer with depth. |
| 1851 | Company leased site from Lord Mostyn with nominal capital of £12,000. |
| 1853 | John Taylor takes on management of the mine, with cross cuts to the south lode and a shaft sunk to a 10 fm level. Venture failed. |
| 1856 | Last year ore returned. |
| 1859 | Mine comes up for auction, with cast iron waterwheel, horse whim and 60 fathoms of ladder for sale. |
| 1863 | Mine restarted as Morris Silver-Lead with Captain James Roach claimed a rich lode of witherite had been discovered yielding 15 tons per fathom. |
| 1871 | Lease comes onto the market. Amogst the mine assets awaiting the new owner were 24ft waterwheel, crusher, wooden derrick, gridstone and bell. |
Total output 331 tons of lead ore.
External Links
Publications (11)
- (1922); BGS - Mineral Resources of GB (c1920s) Vol II - Barytes and Witherite; 136 pages
- (1922); BGS - Mineral Resources of GB (c1920s) Vol XX - Lead and Zinc: Cardiganshire & West Montogmeryshire; 242 pages
- Bick, D. E. (1980); Montgomery Metal Mines list , Archaeology in Wales : 36 : 83
- Bick, D. E. (1991); Industrial Archaeology of the Van Mine, The; (Consultation report for RML)
- Bick, D.E. (1991); Old Metal Mines of Mid-Wales, The; Miscellany, A - Part 6; pp. 5-10
- Bick, D.E. (1991); Old Metal Mines of Mid-Wales, The; West Montgomeryshire, Aberdovey, Dinas Mawddwy & Llangynog - Part 4; pp. 47-48
- Foster-Smith, J. R. (1978); Mines of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, The
- Jones, J. A. & Moreton, N. J. M. (1977); Mines and Minerals of Mid-Wales, The
- Jones, O. T. (1922); Lead and Zinc. The Mining District of North Cardiganshire and West Montgomeryshire
- Liscombe & Co (1880); Mines of Cardiganshire, Montgomereyshire & Shropshire; 52 pages
- Williams, C. J., & Bick, D. (1992); List of metalliferous mine sites of industrial archaeological importance
