I received the following email from a gentleman who farms land in the area.

http://www.aditnow.co.uk/album/Brynchwyth-Lead-Mine-User-Album/ 

He suggests the photos for Brynchwyth are an adit from Crown Mine - can anybody confirm? Roy? Rheidol United?

He also said as far as he was aware there never was a mine called Brynchwyth in the area.

I just want to double check before renaming or moving anything.

Thanks!

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If it's any help Crown Mine is about 500 metres east of the specified NGR on 'Old Maps'.

I refered this to my friend Prof David James and he replied thus:

Yes it is the trial adit at SN 7551 8002; VERY uninviting but approx 15 m long, not a drift, cut along the cleavage - POSSIBLY a putative deep drainage adit to Crown

I agree there was never a mine called Brynchwyth

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Brynchwyth Mine was a small blind drive heading towards Crown Mine, probably attempting to cut the Castell Lode below the latter or drain the shaft. As David sais, it's just a small adit and is referred to as Brynchwyth Mine. Not to be mixed up with Bryn Weath Mine, a single shaft opposite Brynglas Mine further East.

Ioan

Hi Ioan

Where did this name for it come from then please?

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I found the name in the Royal Commission for Ancient and Historic Monuments Internet Database (RCAHM), who note 'drainage adit' at the given grid reference.

Ioan

'Brynchwyth' is also the name of the farm 200 odd metres to the west.

Thanks to both of you for this.

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Could it have come from Foster-Smith? He tended to label 'nameless' workings with the name of the nearest feature on the map.

I know what you mean about Foster-Smith, but I don't think that he mentions the mine either. The only reference I have is the one by RCAHM.

I refered this to my friend Prof David James and he replied thus:

Yes it is the trial adit at SN 7551 8002; VERY uninviting but approx 15 m long, not a drift, cut along the cleavage - OSSIBLY a putative deep drainage adit to Crown

I agree there was never a mine called Brynchwyth

Francis's description makes clear that he regarded the level on the east side of the road and just south of Ty'n-y-ffordd as most suitable for being extended to become a deep adit for Crown. Francis only mentions this single level as he was writing in 1874 and the well-known Crown shaft and shallow adit seem to have only come into existence after 1877 as the mine appears in the Min Stats only from 1877 to 1910. Francis wrote very encouragingly about the sett and would, to judge from his descriptions of other trials and small mines, probably have mentioned the adit near Brynchwyth had it existed when he was writing. A strong impression is thus gained that the adit near Brynchwyth post-dates 1874 and may thus be most likely ascribed to the main period that Crown worked, 1877-1910.As Crown was worked by publically listed companies, some of which were limited liability companies, there is a strong liklihood that the adit near Brynchwyth is mentioned in MJ reports and in prospectuses issued by the various companies. Were these to be tracked down, the date of the level would probably be clarified and very posssibly the companies' intentions in relation to it revealed - I concur that it was probably a putative deep adit.

I'll upload another picture to the album which shows the inside of the adit.

I'll upload another picture to the album which shows the inside of the adit.

I have just looked. It dosn't look to bad inside, I expected something like a jar of strawberry jam laid on its side
:lol:

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Yes, it's very small but looks actually quite inviting. I'm just afraid that around the corner it will lead to a dead end! :curse: