Originally the name Dylife was only given to lode workings at Pen Dylife, but later encompassing Esgairgaled and Llechwedd Ddu - Llechwedd Ddu in particular being highly profitable. The three sets of workings were on separate lodes that converged to the west of Dylife.
Significant site for copper, lead, zinc, and silver extraction. The main workings were focused on the Llechwedd Ddu lode, a branch of the Dylife lode, with earlier mining activities tracing back to the 17th and 18th centuries on the Esgairgaled lode.
Includes several shafts, opencuts, and levels located around the Afon Twymyn, with key sites such as the Pencerig and Esgairgaled shafts, as well as Bradford’s and Alfred’s shafts near the main workings. Tramways connect the mine to the dressing floors located in the valley bottoms. The power systems of the mine included multiple reservoirs, leats, and waterwheels, notably the Red Wheel, which powered several shafts and was also linked to processing machinery.
Processing activities were extensive, with machinery such as buddles, crushers, and jiggers in use across the site. The main processing area, which included a masonry tunnel diverting the Afon Twymyn, has been damaged over time but still holds significant archaeological potential. Several buildings associated with mining operations, including a smithy and residential cottages, survive in Dylife, making the village an important industrial site. The area’s waterwheels powered both the ore processing and pumping systems, with two high-pressure steam engines serving as backups during periods of low water flow.
Conjectured that vast amounts of blende remains in the mine.
| Year | Activity |
|---|---|
| 1691 | William Waller of Mine Adventurers fame visited Delivea and noted shafts - 50 or 60 yards deep. |
| c1700 | Esgairgaled worked by a Mr Hartley, Pen Dylife by A Mr Peck who leased it from a William Pugh. |
| 1770s | Esgairgaled worked by Bowdler Vickers & Co of Flintshire. |
| early 19C | Hugh Williams from Machynlleth takes on both mines. |
| 1818 | Joined by John Pughe of Aberdovy. |
| 1845 | 80 tons of copper and lead ore being returned monthly by this date. A large 1/3 mile long deep adit had been driven as a crosscut at about 35fm depth. |
| 1851 | 300 people employed, 1000 tons of lead ore raised from the three lodes. After advice from Matthew Francis, reservoirs and a 63ft water wheel - the Red or Martha Wheel installed. |
| 1858 | Both Williams and Pughe had died, control passed to Pughe’s wife and Williams’ trustees (including Richard Cobden - MP and husband of Williams’ daughter). They decided to dispose of the mine and placed it in interim management of John Taylor & Sons. Cobden stays on, and with fellow MP John Bright who had a large stake invested, began upgrading the mine and machinery. Boundary Shaft sunk on the Dylife lode that had proved rich in Dyfngwm. Bradford’s Shaft sunk to work eastern section of Llechwedd Ddu lode. Boundary Shaft was drawn using a wire cable driven by a 50ft water wheel situated a mile away. |
| 1863 | Year of peak output - 2,571 ton of lead ore, with 250 miners underground. Profits of £1,000 a month being made. |
| 1873 | New company injects capital, Boundary Shaft down to a Mid Wales record depth of 167fms. Results though, disappointing. |
| 1879 | Another company attempts work, sinking shaft on Alfred’s lode. This proves disappointing. |
| 1884 | Closes, though revived as Blaen Twymyn for few years. |
Recorded output: 36,684 tons Pb ore, 1,540 tons Cu ore, 391 tons blende.
External Links
- https://archwilio.org.uk/her/chi3/report/page.php?watprn=CPAT5648
- https://www.geologywales.co.uk/central-wales-rigs/PDFs/dylife_mine.pdf
- https://www.mcra.org.uk/logbooks/files/JRatVol1.pdf
- https://www.nmrs.org.uk/assets/mines/m/dylife.html
- https://www.walesher1974.org/herumd.php?group=CPAT&level=3&docid=301358804
- https://www.walesher1974.org/herumd.php?group=CPAT&level=3&docid=301368845
Publications (23)
- (1848); BGS - Memoirs Vol II, Part II; 425 pages
- (1922); BGS - Mineral Resources of GB (c1920s) Vol XX - Lead and Zinc: Cardiganshire & West Montogmeryshire; 242 pages
- Bick, D. E. (1985); Beam Engine House in Wales , The; Industrial Archaeology Review : 12, No 1 : 84-93
- Bick, D. E. (1985); Dylife - A Famous Welsh Lead Mine
- Bick, D.E. (1991); Old Metal Mines of Mid-Wales, The; West Montgomeryshire, Aberdovey, Dinas Mawddwy & Llangynog - Part 4; pp. 27-31
- Bick, David (1994); PDMHS (Peak District Mines Historical Society) 12-3 Sum - Early Mining Leats and Ponds in Wales; 4 pages (37-40)
- Dines, Henry George (1956); BGS - Regional Memoirs - Metalliferous Mining Region of South West England Vol2, The; 335 pages
- Foster-Smith, J. R. (1978); Mines of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, The
- Hugher, S.J.; Dylife & Dyfngwm Recollections; 5 pages
- Hughes, Simon J.S. (1971); BSA Proceedings Vol VI, No 46 - Mineral Field of Mid Wales, The; 8 pages
- Hughes, Simon J.S. (1976); Cardiganshire - Its Mines and Miners; 52 pages
- Hughes, Stephen (1994); PDMHS (Peak District Mines Historical Society) 12-3 Sum - The Hushing Leats at Cwmystwyth, The; 6 pages (48-53)
- Jones, J. A. & Moreton, N. J. M. (1977); Mines and Minerals of Mid-Wales, The
- Jones, Nigel and Walters, Mark and Frost, Pat (2004); Mountains and Orefields; 208 pages
- 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
- Louis, Henry (1896); Treatise on Ore Deposits -Cardiganshire; 12 pages
- Murchison, J.H. (1869); Lead Mines as an Investment; 34 pages
- Rees, D. M. (1975); Industrial Archaeology of Wales
- Walters, M. (1993); Powys Metal Mines Survey , Archaeology in Wales : 33 : 43-44
- Welsh Mines Society (Spr 2004); Newsletter 50; pp. 20-29
- Williams, C. J. & Bick, D. (1992); List of metalliferous mine sites of industrial archaeological importance
- Williams, C.J. (2004); PDMHS (Peak District Mines Historical Society) 15-4&5 - Cobden and Bright at Dylife; 3 pages (47-49)
