Llyn y Pandy


Lead Mine

Worked from c1720 to 1913

Jan 1st, 2024 from Cambrian by Buddle-Bot

Feb 18th, 2025 by BertyBasset



North Wales
Pantymwyn
53.1822929, -3.2067139
SJ 1946 6570
Private Land
180m
#538


The mine remains lie on the east side of the Alyn Gorge in areas mainly of dense woodland and pasture. Shafts along the vein can be identified at SJ 1948 6564, possibly Mountain Shaft; a shaft substantially capped at SJ 1961 6568, possibly South Shaft; Perrin’s Shaft at SJ 1970 6570 and a shaft at SJ 1999 6570, possibly Hodson’s. Other shafts and mounds identified in the area are at SJ 1943 6541, SJ 1978 6589, SJ 1981 6571, SJ 2040 6595, and SJ 2035 6610. At SJ 2010 6580 and SJ 2020 6575, two shafts lie in overgrown woodland on land attributed to HHM & T Co Ltd Concrete Structures. Other shafts now lie on the site occupied by the Caravan Park, which would have related to Llynypandy South and the older Rhydalyn Mine, and can be identified at SJ 1974 6536, SJ 1981 6537, SJ 1982 6535, SJ 1971 6523, and SJ 1943 6541.

Several buildings associated with mining operations remain. The converted dwelling, Bryn Gwyn, at SJ 1973 6566, was originally the mine agent’s house at the entrance to the Llynypandy mine, built in 1856. The house, Eureka, at SJ 1982 6535, served as the mine office for Llynypandy South mine. The converted house at SJ 1970 6565 was an 18th-century Llynypandy Pumping Engine House from the John Wilkinson period.



Mining activities in the Llynypandy area date back to the 1720s, coinciding with operations by the Quaker company. The Llynypandy Vein extended eastward from the River Alun. Smith (1921) illustrates the shafts along the vein as Mountain, South Shaft, Perrin’s, Watkin’s, Andrew’s, Hodson’s, Conqueror of Wales, and an adit level on the River Alun. The mine was worked intensively from the early 19th century, and the wealth of the ore deposits justified the construction of the Leete system in 1820, an expensive water management structure that ran along the Alyn Valley.

Power sources for the mine evolved over time. In 1743, the Coalbrookdale Company supplied an engine to Benjamin Perrin, likely a Newcomen Engine, to work Perrin’s Shaft at SJ19706570. Between 1825 and 1830, a 44ft waterwheel with an 8ft breast powered a pump at Mountain Shaft, while a similar wheel pumped Perrin’s Shaft. This wheel would have been located on the leat below, pumping Perrin’s Shaft using flat rods. In 1827, a water pressure engine was working Andrew’s Shaft. By 1827-28, an 80“ engine was operating at the Conqueror of Wales Shaft, later relocated to Cathole and Minera.

A series of watercourses supplied water to the mines, dating from the John Taylor period. The leat leaves the River Alun at Loggerheads at SJ 1968 6282 and runs up to Penyfron Mine at SJ 1986 6623. Wastewater from the dressing floors could power the waterwheels in the valley below them.

Processing infrastructure was also developed. In 1789, John Wilkinson built a lead smelting facility at Brymbo to process ore from Llynypandy, which was later sent to Deeside.



Publications (4)

  • (1921); BGS - Mineral Resources of GB (c1920s) Vol XIX - Lead and Zinc: in Carboniferous of North Wales; 169 pages
  • BGS - Mine Plans (large, zoomable) - Llyn-Y-Pandy Mine And Lode 576; 1 pages
  • BGS - Mine Plans (large, zoomable) - South Llyn-Y-Pandy Mine Section; 1 pages
  • Williams, C. J. & Bick, D. (1992); List of metalliferous mine sites of industrial archaeological importance





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