I am starting this as a new thread on this issue.

On Tuesday 18th May, Dr. Dafydd Gwyn* and I had a meeting with Andrew Roberts (Llechwedd Mine Manager and MD) To discuss the current state of the buildings at Maen Offeren and can anything be done to prevent deterioration.

Andrew started off by saying that he recognised that Llechwedd had made mistakes in the past but wanted to do the right thing where MO is concerned. However he needed to get across that it is a working quarry employing local people and that cannot be sacrificed in any way. We all agreed that had to be the case. He also emphasised that Llechwedd have very little money for such a project. That said, he is very worried about the deterioration that has been happening to the buildings caused by weather, vandalism, and thefts. He is keen to get others, be they organisations, or individuals, including volunteers involved to try and address these problems.

We went on to discuss various ideas that Dafydd and I had, these were welcomed. The general thoughts are that it could possibly be run as an additional attraction for the Quarry Tours operation. It is felt that some local community involvement might help stem some of the vandalism problems.

Andrew ended the meeting by reiterating that he really did want to do the right thing here and whether or not the project succeeded only time would tell, but it would not be by lack of effort on his part.



*Dr. Dafydd Gwyn – Gwynedd Archaeological Trust, Gwynedd Industrial History Society (chair), Festiniog Railway Company, and lecturer at Plas Tan y Bwlch.

Since my previous post, I have had further discussions.

Sunday last, a long talk with Dafydd Gwyn. We discussed the various human threats to the buildings and their contents and how each might be tackled.

We thought Andrew should invite Judith Alfrey (Cadw) also with ourselves if possible to discuss security implications for listed structure and how to protect them from future thefts and vandalism.

We both thought drawing up of list of movable objects similar to the list of railway items (which has been done previously) with recommendations for future management would be a good idea. Following on from that Removal of scrap items and other items likely to attract thieves and vandals either for scrap or safe keeping as dictated by the list.


We agreed that I would have further communication with Andrew Roberts about our thoughts and ideas.

Since then Dafydd has spoken to the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historic Monuments of Wales. They couldn't make a definite commitment but hoped they would be able to undertake a measured survey and photographic record of all the buildings and their contents (hopefully at no charge to J. W. Greaves).

I spoke to Andrew yesterday, he has agreed to contact CADW and arrange a meeting. He also was appreciative of our ideas and thought it was a way forward.

I have already contacted a few members from here and ME about our previous meeting with Llechwedd. If anyone is interested in helping with this project feel free to contact me.

Thanks for the update John.

It's a very worthy project and hopefully enough volunteers will come forward to make the various ideas possible. Please keep us updated and let us know how we can help :thumbup:

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Good stuff there John.im shore if some sort of funding could be found to help preserve the building and remaining artefacts’ I think it is also fare to say I don’t think there would be any shortage of enthusiastic volunteers for a project such as this should it come about.

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May I also add my 2p and say the interest is welcome. Well done to John and Dafydd.

Unfortunately any public funding over the coming years is going to be very tough to get. Maybe when the time is right the Lottery can be contacted (as they at least have funds achivieded through a revenue stream other than taxation).

Not much i can do to help being in Bournemouth with a family keeping me in check 51 weeks a year. But I have a fascination with MO and will be following developments very closely. And if I see an opportunity where I can help I shall not be backward in coming forward.

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Well done and congratulations to the progress made by John and Dafydd regarding this topic. I couldn't even have imagined it getting to this stage, so really well done to you guys for getting this far. I'm not local either and i'm certainly not as clued up as many others, but i will certainly support this cause and will be happy to journey up whenever help is needed. Can't wait for more updates.

Whilst I really appreciate all your thanks, and I will pass them on to Dafydd too, thanks also have to go to Andrew Roberts for agreeing to meet us about this and being genuinely helpful and interested in our ideas.

here here.

progress as they say john!

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ok they need saving ,but what about the present damage on ground level and underground ,i went yesterday and am not impressed by what i saw. people not far away should be ashamed of the dick heads who have done it. :curse:

Not sure to what you are referring Steve?

ok the buildings need saving ,but how are we going to stop any more damage,vandalism ,happening .

That is what our discussions are hopefully going to try and resolve.

I thought you were referring to something specific in your previous post when you mentioned "....the present damage on ground level and underground....".

sorry for confusion ,yes damage is not recent up there ,its a few years since last up there other than yesterday..

A lot of that damage has only happened in the last 3 years. In fact the damage caused by the large scale thefts of copper etc (including the cabling from underground) has only happened in last 9 months.

Agreed. I think its true to say a couple of years back it was what you might call low level vandalism. But as John says in the last 9 months it has changed into large scale stripping of copper (both above and below ground) and destruction of anything containing copper and of course the ongoing burning of insulation underground. All very regrettable and in conjuction with ongoing vandalism has resulted in the sorry state of the mills today.

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How many of the relics worth saving on site are desirable in terms of scrap? Because surely if it has no archeological value and is only desirable to the scrap man wouldn't it be an idea to strip the scrap from out of the mills in order to discourage theives? It would take quite a bit of work, and wouldn't completely stop determined vandals, but if there's nothing left worth robbing, then that's one less group of vandals we have to worry about.

Also another thought, probably outlandish, but any of the stuff deemed as scrap which is not needed, could it be sold to a scrap merchant on Lechwedds behalf, or by Lechwedd in order to raise money for the cause?

Already working on that idea, and more! My second post, above, mentions excatly that.

i think there is still alot to be saved like the locos slab wagons and dressers

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So it does, i'm so blind. Would be quite a mamouth job, last time i walked through the mill there were a number of wagons, and some machinery, i seem to recall a saw table, not to mention the fly wheels, which are a delight. Plenty of interesting bits too be getting on with and hopefully they're all be to cumbersome for the scrapman.

Are people really burning insulation underground? That's so ridiculous!