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Clwyd Metal Mines Survey


Maeshafn River Alyn

Maeshafn River Alyn lies in the community of Llanferres in the county of Denbighshire. It is located at Ordnance Survey national grid reference SJ19306130. The mine is recorded in the CPAT Historic Environment Record as number 102915 and this number should be quoted in all correspondence.

Lead/Zinc (19th century)

Geology
Carboniferous Limestone.

Workings
The dressing floor area processed the ores from the Maeshafn workings.

Transport
No evidence of anything other than horse carriage. A fine stone-built bridge connects the east and west banks of the River Alyn at the dressing floor area, SJ19306135. The public footpath runs along the west bank of the River, providing the most likely access track for workers to the site from Pont-y-mwynwr.

Power
Two adjoining large wheelpits (SJ19316137) remain on the East bank of the River Alun, divided by a common wall approx 3m wide. The pits are approx 15 metres x 3m wide. The water was supplied by a leat which emerges from a culvert to the south-east of the wheelpits. The path of the leat runs alongside the River Alyn for two miles and its substantial construction is visible as it approaches the pits. The flat rod system from the south wheel extended uphill eastwards apparently through a stone revetment to the shaft at SJ19756125, and continued to the second shaft at SJ19806110. A waterwheel of 52ft diameter was working at Maeshafn in 1869, and may have been installed as early as 1823, when a new company drove new levels at the mine. An east to west section drawing deposited CRO (D/GR/1750) shows 4 shafts running downhill to the large waterwheel and launder at the river Alun.

Processing
Extensive waste heaps from ore-dressing remain on the east and west banks of the River Alyn. The area has been cleared of all structures other than the whheelpits, but further evidence may remain in the dense undergrowth along the riverbank.

Other features
No evidence.


This HTML page is reproduced from the Powys and Clwyd Metal Mine Surveys which were undertaken between May 1992 and December 1993 by Mark Walters and Pat Frost of the Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust with financial support from Powys County Council, Clwyd County Council and Cadw: Welsh Historic Monuments. Further information about this site is available in CPAT's Regional Historic Environment Record.
Page produced by Rachel Stebbings and Chris Martin.

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