Sunday. 18th Sent Anne and Dog on a big walk. I looked for mines by car! At NGR SN 912 714 by the side of the stream called Nant Lwye , marked as old quarry on the map, there is a large spoil heap, looking like the debris from an adit. Closer inspection showed it was indeed a small quarry. Judging by the spoil heap there was 100% wastage. I can just hear Taffy saying “Come boyos, only a feet to go and we will hit the good stuff”. A few yards east was another grovel. But no signs of an adit. Not listed by Richards.
Monday 19th. Anne had a meeting at the Elan Valley Hotel. Hopefully her travelling expenses will pay for the weekend. I earmarked some mines to look at. At NGR SN 8990 66150 near Llannerch Cawr [Richards p 230 gives NGR SN 901 614] I noted two spoil tips and thinking I might find an adit I investigated. The lower tip lead to what us cowboys call “a box cañon”. Could be a blocked adit or shaft. The upper spoil heap was the same with the added attraction of a dressing floor, with the remains of a building.
Rhiwnant Mines. At NGR SN 8890 6180 a line of 6 shafts running down the hill. All are fenced. The hill is called Cerrig Plwm [plwm is Welsh for lead] so I assume these are lead mines. The top shaft is open, c 30 feet deep with signs that it has been back filled. The second shaft appears to be a narrow rake about 3 feet wide and possibly 100 yards long. At the bottom end of the rake the walls are barely 15 inches apart. Next is an open rake 6 feet deep and 6 feet wide and 20 yards long. The third shaft is fenced and blocked. The fourth shaft is flooded and blocked with sheep mesh. The fifth shaft is flooded to within a foot of the surface, which is not surprising as the ground is very boggy. It is blocked with old fence posts. The six shaft is also fenced. Noted a substantial farm road. Was this made from mine debris? If so, some large tips have disappeared. Going down to about 100 feet above the Afon Claerwen there is a grassy mine track which appears to lead into a works area. There is a wall built up with massive stones, some trees on top which presumably are growing out of a shaft. In a quarried area I noted a potential adit with some water coming out, judging by the sedge grass. Lower down was another possible adit, steep sides and obscured by vegetation. Did not investigate as glasses were wet and I could not see a thing. I noticed a foot bridge, so it will be easy to get to these mines without going through the farm. Bick’s books do not appear to extend as far as the Elan Valley! Log No 150799
Cutting coal in my spare time.