CPAT logo
Back Home
Powys Metal Mines
Mines index
Mine map

Powys Metal Mines Survey


Cwm Orog

Cwm Orog lies in the community of Llangynog in the county of Powys. It is located at Ordnance Survey national grid reference SJ05202730. The mine is recorded in the CPAT Historic Environment Record as number 5925 and this number should be quoted in all correspondence.

Cwm Orog, CPAT photo                Lead/Zinc/Barytes (Prehistoric?/Roman?/Medieval?/ 1747-1909)

Geology
Ordovician slates, shales and felsites dominate the geology. There is a main ENE-WSW vein with N/S barytes cross-courses. Mineralisation of the main vein includes lead and zinc.

Workings
'Old Workings' were described as being present in 1747. Opencuts and stopes can be seen on the northern slopes of Craig Rhiwarth on the barytes lode & main lode. There are 10 levels in all including adits below the northern scarp of Craig Rhiwarth from SJ05022727 to SJ05272728. There is a single shaft at the top of the hill SJ05272728. Surface workings are visible at the western extent of Pencraig and probably represent early trials for the western extent of the lode SJ04832681.

Transport
There is a 3 phase system which is unique in the Mid Wales orefield including: (1) 2 contour tramways connecting to long oreslides (2) 1 incline tramway (3) An aerial ropeway. The three contour tramways are well preserved as are the ore chutes at their extremes. Only the upper foundation base of the aerial ropeway winder survives. The incline survives as a footpath. Many of the adits display earthwork traces of tramway beds. At the uppermost level entrance remains of rails can be seen.

Power
Two leats from Nant Bryn Mawr lead to the dressing floors. There is a 17 x 2ft wheelpit on the dressing floor with an in situ axle. This waterwheel drove the crusher and buddle.

Processing
There is a crusher house, stone breaker platform, three earthwork settling tanks, a single buddle and a jigger shed all centred on SJ04732736. The ore chutes/bins at the head of each contour tramway are in direct association with washing/picking floors. Each of the ore bins is constructed to a slightly different design.

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.