Lower Silurian shales and mudstones, with two parallel lodes striking WSW-ENE containing galena, sphalerite, and barytes mineralization. A near-vertical cross lode runs WNW. Mining activity is evident in at least ten shafts of varying ages, four levels, and two adits, which ascend the hillside of Rhoswydol within the forestry plantation. Old opencut workings at the hilltop (SN 8450 9768) form a large quarry-like hollow with stoping extending to the surface.
A tramway once linked the main adit to Greens Mill at SN 8370 9765, while an incline tramway connected the dressing floors with the upper workings at SN 8390 9740. Water was diverted from upstream of Nant Y Fedw through leats contouring the hillside, feeding a pond that supplied water to the top of the crusher wheel. Greens Mill (SN 8367 9783) was powered by a 45-foot waterwheel, drawing water from either Nant Yr Ych or the Afon Crewi. A crusher house wheel measuring 30 by 2 feet stood outside Prosser’s Level (SN 8391 09740).
Three steam engines powered machinery on the upper dressing floors at SN 8388 9741, with additional steam engines used for pumping and winding, though details of their locations are unknown. A pumping engine house, known as the Bacheiddon Engine, was built in 1860 but was soon demolished, leaving visible earthworks at SN 8380 9735. A crushing mill outside Prosser’s Level (SN 8390 9740) housed 2-foot diameter rollers, 14 inches wide, but now lies in ruins. In 1870, Green’s Patent Self-Acting Dressing Machinery was installed at a mill (SN 8366 9788), containing crushing rolls, mechanical jiggers, buddles, and classifiers. Though few internal features remain visible, structural details likely survive beneath the topsoil. The mill walls are severely weathered. Three ore bins stand outside the Bacheiddon deep adit at SN 8385 9735.
The site once included a carpenter’s shop, smith’s shop, count house, and store sheds, but these structures are now poorly preserved.
| Year | Activity |
|---|---|
| 12C | Ore extracted by monks. |
| 1780s | Tonsend & Co worked mine pits at the summit of the hill. |
| 1843 | Mine claimed to have 7 valuable lodes, with solid galena 15 inches wide. |
| 1845 | Rhoswidol & Backheiddon Lead Mining Company leases mine, with 25 year old Edward Davies (from Parys Mines), W.Prosser (paten holder for Prossers Patent Guide Wheels for railway rolling stock) and George Hadley from Chelsea who was treasurer. Main aim was to drive a very long adit (Prosser’s Adit) under the bottom of Rhoswydol hill to come in under 90fm deep old workings. Matthew Francis reports that there were three other adits: Field’s, Smithy and Nant. Ore only present in Nant, Francis recommends trials to south where ore seen at surface. |
| 1848 | Despite this, Davies forecsats that _ore in sight worth £220,000. |
| 1850 | £28,000 spent in previous 10 years with no return. Captain William Verran attempts a shareholder inspection, but is threatened by Davies, who is bound over for 12 months. Verran and Sampson submit a report saying Prosser’s Level was very poor for all the distance (1/2 mile) and very little ore could be seen anywhere. |
| 1851 | Mine idle. |
| 1868 | Restarts under a company from Glasgow. |
| 1870 | Company installs self-acting dressing machinery - combined rolls, jiggers, buddles and classifiers driven by a single waterwheel. This is a patent of George Green of Aberystwyth Foundry who together with fellow contrevience designer Robert Girdwood of Edinburgh appear to be involved with the Glasgow company. |
| 1872 | Several hundred tons of ore sold in the previous few years, but output falls to zero, with much blame in the press being attributed to Green’s machinery, however another 700 tons would be produced in next few years. |
| 1877 | Mine closes. |
External Links
Publications (11)
- (1922); BGS - Mineral Resources of GB (c1920s) Vol XX - Lead and Zinc: Cardiganshire & West Montogmeryshire; 242 pages
- Anon; Rhoswydol Plan; 1 pages
- Bick, D. E. (1980); Montgomery Metal Mines list , Archaeology in Wales : 36 : 83
- Bick, D. E. (1991); Industrial Archaeology of the Van Mine, The (Consultation report for RML)
- Bick, D. E. (1991); Old Metal Mines of Mid-Wales, The; West Montgomeryshire, Aberdovey, Dinas Mawddwy & Llangynog - Part 4; pp. 8-9
- Foster-Smith, J. R. (1978); Mines of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, The
- Jones, J. A. & Moreton, N. J. M. (1977); 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
- Thomas, David (1998); Hafren Forest Archaeological Assessment; 96 pages
- Williams, C. J. & Bick, D. (1992); List of metalliferous mine sites of industrial archaeological importance
