Hillside is marked by open levels, deep shafts, and an open stope, while large spoil tips cascade dramatically down the steep valley slopes. The industrial heritage of the area remains evident, with two large reservoirs, now known as Llynnau Cae Conroy, which supplied water to power the Ty Isaf and Llanerchyraur mines. A long leat, originally built to transport water from the Ceulan Valley, remains visible, along with tramway track beds that once connected the dressing floors to the deep adit.
On the Llanerchyraur hillside, the main lode workings are concentrated around SN 8669 9811, including a deep adit at SN 8678 9820, two shafts at the hilltop, and six levels. To the east, two additional levels were driven into the Ty Isaf lode, with numerous shallow trials scattered throughout the area.
The remains of a large waterwheel system can still be found north of Ty Isaf Farm at SN 8795 9818, where a 50-foot waterwheel once powered pumps at the Ty Isaf Engine Shaft via a 300-yard system of flat rods. This system was later extended to pump water for the Llanerchyraur workings using a mile-long rope system. Other smaller wheelpits, such as those at SN 9807 8774, were used to operate buddles, while a larger wheel powered the crusher house.
Evidence of ore processing infrastructure remains, particularly on the lower dressing floor at SN 8678 9819, which housed the Ty Isaf winding wheelpit, jigger and picking table platform, round buddles, and slime pits. The upper dressing floor at SN 8772 9808 features the remains of a crusher house, jigger shed base, four buddles, a mine office, a smithy, storage sheds, and the foundational remains of a processing mill that operated until 1951 *.
*Confirm this and add to history.
Together with Ty Isaf, belonged to the Conroy family, and were generally under control of the same management.
Year | Activity |
---|---|
1805 | Worked by Thomas Bonsall who drove a level (possibly the deep adit). |
c1820 | Worked by Job Sheldon for Flintshire based company. |
1829 | Estate purchased by Sir James Conroy, and worked by the family. |
1847 | Inspection by Matthew Francis found Ty Isaf was only down to 11 ftm below adit. The lode was desciribed glowingly as ‘a fine Silver-Lead ore much mixed with quartz; ythe vein is of great width, little less than thirty feet where it appears at the surface, and the cropping out or back of the lode is one of the most beautiful things I have seen in mining’. |
1857 | Up until this date, mines had been producing 150 tons annually. This year, there was a large drop, and Captain Thomas Owen take on management of both mines on behalf of Sir Edward Conroy. |
1858 | Llanerchyraur working well. |
c1860 | Ty Isaf working well. |
1867 | Ty Isaf at its peak. Offered for sale together with Llanerchyraur (which was making £10,000 pa profit. Llanerchyraur deep adit had been completed giving accesss to 100fm of backs. Ty Isaf shaft down to 55fm. |
1870 | Properties sold for over £50,000. Ty Isaf orebody was now exhausted. However at end of year, promotion attempted by Conroy Lead Mines Company with £88,000 going to vendors. Report for Llanerchyraur said that good ore was being raised, but given it was past its best, and Ty Isaf was spent, the sale came to nothing. Llanerchyraur continues. |
1873 | Fall in adit traps 6 men for several days. Mine closes. |
1875-7 | Some ore raised. |
1879-81 | Final production burst at amounting to 1764 tons of ore. |
External Links
Publications (11)
- (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); Old Metal Mines of Mid-Wales, The; West Montgomeryshire, Aberdovey, Dinas Mawddwy & Llangynog - Part 4; pp. 23-26
- Foster-Smith, J. R. (1978); Mines of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, The
- Hughes, Simon J.S. (1971); BSA Proceedings Vol VI, No 46 - Mineral Field of Mid Wales, The; 8 pages
- Hughes, Simon J.S. (1979); Kehrrad, The; 15 pages
- Jones, J. A. & Moreton, N. J. M. (1975); 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
- Murchison, J.H. (1869); Lead Mines as an Investment; 34 pages
- Williams, C. J., & Bick, D. (1992); List of metalliferous mine sites of industrial archaeological importance