Hi

I am looking for any information on the flooded mine which is in a area of woodland I recently purchased which is close to Brynawel, 1 The Dray cottages, Rhandirmwyn.

I believe Simon ? did a report on this many years ago.

Regards Beverlea

The report you mention along with photos are here on aditnow under the 'N' mine listings.

Roy Fellows did an excellent article on this mine some time back, here;

http://www.aditnow.co.uk/mines/Nantymwyn-Lead-Mine/ 

On the same page is a PDF of a rough scetch plan.

---

Hi
I have a pdf of a report by Simon Hughes in British Mining No 45. If you can pm your email address, I'll email it to you. It is pretty hefty though at 26meg.
We're going to be up there on Royal Wedding weekend. Also looking at the Boat level which is next to the end cottage on the lane down to the campsite. We'll be stopping there for a few days

---

The 'flooded working' just beyond the cottages is the colapsed entrance of the Deep Boat level which was one of the two main level entrances to the Nantymwyn Mines; the other main level entrance was the Upper Boat Level located at the western end of the main mine site, approximately three quarters of a mile to the north north east.

An airshaft to the Deep Boat Level exists on the east side of the road a few hundred yards north east of the cottages; it was re-capped (by the local authority?) last year. Part of the water from the Nantymwyn Mine drains via the Upper Boat Level, which is virtually sumped at its entrance and was reported by South Wales Caving Club in the 1960s/70s to be badly collapsed a short way inside. Most of the water from the mine drains via the Deep Boat Level; there appears to be a head of water behind the collapsed entrance; plumbing the airshaft (mentioned above) would provide information on the head of water and the likely pressure - there is, by analogy with incidents elsewhere, presumably a danger of a 'blow-out'.

Cardiff university are, I believe, studying the composition and hydrology of the mine waters.

The mine is fairly high up the Environment Agency's list of the fifty major polluting abandoned non-ferrous metal mines in Wales.

The article by S.J.S.Hughes in British Mining no.45 is the fullest published historical account; his list of references mentions every known substantial record in public archives.

Hope these notes are useful.

The article by S.J.S.Hughes in British Mining no.45 is the fullest published historical account; his list of references mentions every known substantial record in public archives.

That article is also available on Mine-Explorer, uploaded by no other than the man himself, here is the link 😉

http://www.mine-explorer.co.uk/mines/Nant-y-Mwyn_887/Nant-y-Mwyn_14088.pdf 

---

Hi Robert, I didn't know that the air shaft had been capped.
For the benefit of others, it is situate right beside the road and has been used for dumping rubbish so this is probably the reason.

I usually refer to it as the “Coaling shaft” as it was deliberately sunk by the roadside so as to enable the tipping of coal which could then be taken by barge up the level to Angred Shaft where it was hauled to surface for for fueling the horizontal steam engine situate there.
The shaft is 84 feet from surface and sinks to an offset in the eastern wall of the level 726 feet from the portal (Hughes)

I have heard that the shaft was descended some years ago but have no details. I expect it is blocked with rubbish, so deep level is very likely blocked in 2 places, the collapse above the portal and at the airshaft.

To deal with the mine properly will require a huge expense and major works in the vicinity of the deep level.

As a point of interest, the grave of Captain Argall is in the church yard and last time I looked appeared attended.

---

Hello Roy,

I was aware of the coaling function; the label 'air shaft' is from the OS 1:2,500 map. Your terminology is more descriptive. Last spring when I visited the shaft was being cleared of vegetation and a solid row (no gaps) of reinforced concrete lintels was being placed across the collar, inside the masonry enclosure. The copious use of road signage gave the impression that it was a local authority project.

In addition to Capt.Argall's grave (more-or-less in front of you as you enter the churchyard and thus easy to find), one of the graves against the west wall of the churchyard is of an employee killed at the mine: I really should check his name and date against the Inspectors of Mines Annual Reports to obtain details...

Hi alll,

I spent much of my childhood growing up in Rhandirmwyn and at the time was aware of the Nantymwyn mines. Now returning as a reasonably experienced caver I would like to get down there, especially Level Cadno.

Are any trips planned in the forseeable future?

Feel free to PM me or reply on here.

Cheers

A trip sounds like a good idea 🙂

I will be in the area from December 17th - 30th inclusive.

Otherwise I will be back again in April.

Starting to think about some dates. You still OK for 30th?
::)

Made two trips over Christmas; first to Mascarhyg level and on the latter to Pannau level. The second two pitches are much more committing than the first two. The 3rd pitch was quite wet and unpleasant, and is the last pitch with a fixed rope ladder installed by local explorers (2011). The fourth pitch is actually vertical and requires the use of SRT or rope ascension method. There is potential for further exploration from Pannau level.

There is a section of incredible (calcium carbonate?) formations on Pannau Level (see Nantymwyn User album for images).

I no longer live in the area but would be happy to make some further collaborative exploration during holiday periods. As far as I know the stope at the south end of Maescarhyg Level has not been entered? The same is true of the stope at the north end of Lewis level and also the one ascending from the north end of Pannau Level.

I am sorry to be abrupt about this but the rope ladder is an accident waiting to happen and should have been removed 12 months ago. I was advised that this was going to be done.
If there is an accident in there you can kiss goodbye to access throughout the area.

Apart from the risk of failure of the ladder itself statistically the majority of accidents underground related at one time to laddering without a life line. This has died out in recent years because most people are using SRT which is inherently safer as it removed the ’temptation’

---

Let me be clear that I was using SRT on the recent trip. In places where I did use the rope ladder this was backed up with a 10.5 mm static lifeline.

However the rope ladders are still in place as far as Maescarhyg Level and yes RF they do pose a safety risk. If even the first ladder were removed then this would prevent amateur access to the rest of the workings.

Also let me be clear that I have had nothing to do with the installation of the rope ladders! :angel:

Fair enough, but something needs to be done there. I think it really needs the person who put them in to be located and the issue raised.
This has been discussed before on here.

---

Made two trips over Christmas; first to Mascarhyg level and on the latter to Pannau level. The second two pitches are much more committing than the first two. The 3rd pitch was quite wet and unpleasant, and is the last pitch with a fixed rope ladder installed by local explorers (2011). The fourth pitch is actually vertical and requires the use of SRT or rope ascension method. There is potential for further exploration from Pannau level.

There is a section of incredible (calcium carbonate?) formations on Pannau Level (see Nantymwyn User album for images).

I no longer live in the area but would be happy to make some further collaborative exploration during holiday periods. As far as I know the stope at the south end of Maescarhyg Level has not been entered? The same is true of the stope at the north end of Lewis level and also the one ascending from the north end of Pannau Level.

Nice photo uploads, thanks for sharing them :thumbup:

---