Part of the southern branch of the Dylife lode, with an ENE strike, located within the Silurian Frongoch and Gwestyn formations.
consists of deep adits, shafts, open cuts, and trial workings spread across a 1km stretch, with notable features including a deep adit in the gorge linked to Boundary Shaft on Pen Dylife. Possible hushing channels and reservoirs suggest early prospecting techniques. Castle Rock is a significant geological feature with visible trials, a shaft, a level, and a wheelpit. Transport infrastructure included tramways leading from the main adit to inclines down to the dressing floors along the River Clywedog, with steep tracks connecting the mine to historic road networks.
Power sources evolved from waterwheels and a drawing machine in 1850 to a series of steam engines for pumping and winding by the 1860s. Boundary Shaft housed a 60” Cornish pumping engine with ten-ton boilers. Remnants of power infrastructure include two wheelpits and engine bases outside the adit entrance. Processing remains include the poorly preserved crusher house near the river, with beams supporting a pair of crushing rolls, and the foundations of the 1935 processing mill. Seven connected slime pits were used for waste slurry disposal along the Afon Clywedog.
Additional features include two rectilinear enclosures near the mining area, possibly linked to early mining activities, though they may also be post-medieval agricultural structures.
| Year | Activity |
|---|---|
| < 1840 | Deep adit driven into rock face, with dressing floors near the mouth. Engine shaft sunk from adit for pumping. |
| 1842 | Mine under management of John Reynolds. |
| c1845 | Mine control passed to Edward Davies and George Hadley of Rhoswydol who have the mine for next 20 years. |
| 1847 | Down to 16fm under adit, but not showing any profit. |
| 1850 | Focus moves onto trials on the north (Esgairgaled) lode. Two water wheels installed. |
| 1851 | An improvement in fortunes - lode in 32fm level found to be 3ft wide of almost solid galena. |
| 1852 | 60 men employed. 42fm level also found to be productive - the 5m wide lode having requiring parallel levels for stoping. Captain James Paull of Goginan inspects mine for the Taylors. He said that the south load was expected to unite with the main at depth, and together with good work to date, a very favourable report was made. He also advised sinking an engine shaft to the west to examine the junction of the Esgairgaled and Dyfngwm lodes. |
| 1855 | Down to 60fm. |
| 1856 | Steam engine installed. |
| 1864 | Twin cylinder horizontal engine used to augment water power for draining 80 fm level using 7 and 8 inch pumps. A traction engine bought, but did not prove of much use. |
| 1866 | Problems at the mine. 70fm level run in due to poor timbering, shaft in poor state, and no mine plans. Davies criticised for poor management. |
| 1867 | By Spring miners had not been paid for 4 months. £52,000 had been made in sales over previous 16 years, but much of the money squandered. Mine closes. |
| c 1870 | Mine acquired by a German, with Colonel Stronsberg in charge. Ore reserves were proved, but none were sold. |
| 1920s | Attempts by Hirnant Minerals Ltd to re-open the mine, with major investment of capital for pumping and dressing machinery. |
| 1935 | Mine closed with only the 40fm level having been re-gained. |
Total production was 4,930 tons of lead ore, 134 tons of coper ore.
External Links
Publications (18)
- (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. (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. 15-20
- Bick, David (1994); PDMHS (Peak District Mines Historical Society) 12-3 Sum - Early Mining Leats and Ponds in Wales; 4 pages (37-40)
- 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. (2006); Miner's Lot, The - Version 2; 13 pages
- 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
- 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. 19-25
- Welsh Mines Society (Win 2004); Newsletter 51
- Williams, C. J. & Bick, D. (1992); List of metalliferous mine sites of industrial archaeological importance
