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Powys Metal Mines Survey


West Wye Valley

West Wye Valley lies in the community of Llangurig in the county of Powys. It is located at Ordnance Survey national grid reference SN82328465. The mine is recorded in the CPAT Historic Environment Record as number 8474 and this number should be quoted in all correspondence.

West Wye Valley, CPAT photo                Lead/Zinc (1846-1880)

Geology
Silurian Frongoch Formation. The veins trend on a NE-SW strike and are part of an extension of the Castell vein to the west. Mineralisation includes lead, silver and zinc.

Workings
The western workings consist of two shafts at SN82138453,SN82458478 and an adit at SN82468480.

Transport
Short stretches of tramway extend from the shaft to the spoil heaps on the western mine.

Power
The 1869 pumping, winding and sawmill waterwheel was supplied by a leat from the Cyff Brook on the western side of the River Wye. A 30ft wheel powered the crusher. A large reservoir is located at SN83158521 which supplied water to the dressing floors.

Processing
The western dressing floors had the usual range of ore bins, a crusher, jigs and buddles. A small reservoir is present. The present remains are poorly preserved at basal foundation level.

Other features
Four miners cottages were built in 1876 on the western mining area. Traces of the foundations can be seen. There are also remains of a mine office and possible smithy/carpenters shop.

All that remains of the Mine are the ore-bin structure (prn48665) and the shaft (prn22085). The rest of the mine has been destroyed. See individual PRN's for further details. (CPAT Tir Gofal assessment, 2003)


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.