Gwaithgoch, Nantglas, Rhiwrugos and Allt Ddu were sometimes worked invidually and often together, usually under the name Rheidiol United. This mine entry discusses the history of the mines as a group.
Note: Marker location gives general area and does not denote any particular feature.
Remains of ore slides. The Gwaithgoch deep adit is just to the east. Remains of wheelpit and walls of crusher house.
O.T. Jones made reference to four separate lodes worked by five or more separate sets. The sets were named after the lodes. From north to south, the lodes are named Gwaithgoch, Nantglas, Rhiwrhugos and Allt Ddu. There are some very early workings here, with some old stopes only reaching a foot in width.
| Year | Activity |
|---|---|
| 1840s, 1850s | John Taylor & Sons worked Gwaithgoch as part of Nanteos Mines (which also included Ystum Tuen and Penrhiw) |
| 1853 | Top level of Rhiwrhugos reported by Captain Francis to have ‘reached a lode of spar and clay about 18 inches wide, rich and promising’ Both deep level crosscut at Nantglas to reach the Foxpath lode, and a drive westwards on the deep adit along the lode in improving ground were underway. |
| 1855 | Sale of lead ore starts. A 1/2 mile tramway is built from the dresing floor to the Nantglas Engine Shaft. |
| 1859-1861 | Several thousand tons of blende sold. |
| 1863 | Managed by Captain Richard Ride. Tramway had fallen out of use, and ore was carried by pack horse for dressing. Deepest adit 160 fathoms below surface and 300fm long. |
| c1870 | Some adit were being surveyed and cleared by Absalom Francis. |
| WW1 | Some ore was raised at Erwtomau. |
5000 tons blende and 900 tons galena produced in total.
Best accessed via footbridge neat the fish-ladder at Rheidiol Falls,
Publications (5)
- (1922); BGS - Mineral Resources of GB (c1920s) Vol XX - Lead and Zinc: Cardiganshire & West Montogmeryshire; 242 pages
- Bick, D.E. (1991); Old Metal Mines of Mid-Wales, The; South of Goginan - Part 2; pp. 33-35
- Hughes, Simon J.S. (1987); British Mining Memoirs No. 34 - George Greem Engineer & Entrepreneur, 1824-1895; 14 pages
- Palmer, Marilyn and Neaverson, Peter (1992); PDMHS (Peak District Mines Historical Society) 11-5 Sum - Gazetteer of Tin and Lead Ore Dressing Sites in Great Britain; 3 pages (261-263)
- Shaw, R.P. and Critchley, M.F. (1978); PDMHS (Peak District Mines Historical Society) 07-2 Oct - Two Cardiganshire Lead Mines - Caegynon and Rheidol United; 18 pages (69-86)
