Cwmystwyth Mines and Crown Estate

On the 20th May 2013 the Cambrian Mines Trust acquired Cwmytwyth mines from the Crown Estate. The acquisition is as shown on the map below and comprises approximately 138 hectares of land in asolute ownership plus 13 hectares of mineral and sporting rights only.

There is quite a lot to do, putting it mildly; the first priority being to restore underground access in time for this year's NAMHO field meet which the Trust is co-hosting.
To this end the plan is to remove small sections of the existing grills to allow entry and then make a temporary patch to make inadvertent entry by livestock or children impossible. Eventually it is hoped to fit proper hatches which can be opened with a spanner as in Derbyshire.

I will need volunteers for the re-opening. If anyone who has an angle grinder can help, or indeed help in any other way, please contact me soonest as this will be appreciated greatly. Taylor's Level has a grill fitted to the outside of the stone arch which, while effective, is unsightly. The intention is to remove this in its entirety, muck out the entrance restoring the dry stone entry as much as possible, and fit a
'Derbyshire Gate' inside. We shall need to consider health and safety doubly seriously in Taylor's as there is the possibility of bad air in the side passage. This passage may need blocking off temporarily using the remains of the grill for this. Obviously the mucking out of the entrance should improve air flow; however I will have the area assessed by people with oxygen meters before access is sanctioned. Volunteers with a meter will be most welcome

I would very much like to thank everyone for their patience and co operation while all this has been going through. It has been fairly common knowledge but I asked everyone to keep any mention of all this off the Internet. There have been no problems at all in this way, you have all been lovely, and it has reinforced my faith in
human nature.

A final thing to record is the background to all this, and our relationship with the Crown Estate. The matter has been very protracted, and my personal illness in 2010 has not helped matters. The Crown Estate has been beyond reproach in all this and has acted with the highest integrity; without their kind support and obvious commitment to 'doing the right thing' none of this would have happened. Their final act of kindness was the consolidation and safety work of the remaining surface buildings which removed from the Trust a huge burden of necessary expense. Their actions are highly commendable and deserve our best thanks.

Roy A Fellows

Director

🔗Cwmystwyth-Lead-Mine-User-Album-Image-86533[linkphoto]Cwmystwyth-Lead-Mine-User-Album-Image-86533[/linkphoto][/link]

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Brilliant news Roy. Do you have any dates in mind for working weekends (I guess will need to be asap to be in time for NAMHO)

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:thumbsup: :thumbup: 😉

Yes, I am sort of hopping about this morning trying to do everything at once.
This weekend is the holiday and I will be staying with my friend who lives there. I know its bloody short notice but I need volunteers, either Saturday, Sunday, or Monday.

We need to get hatches cut in the exsisting grills with the cut out pieces replaced and secured by fencing wire of which I have a bundle. This is temporary to the fixing of proper gates which will be secured by a simple bolt.
Ther is no intention to fit padlocks on any Trust gates unless necessary, and then it will be a combination lock similar to Cwmorthin.
I need to get in place a permit system, this is just a formality. Basically a legal liability indemnity to the Trust and an agreement to conditions of access.
I will be posting more on this later both on here and on the Trust website.
Lots to do


EDIT
Taylors Level. This could be the subject of work by a volunteer task force and would entail the removal of the unsightly grill presently covering the portal and the clearing out of the portal to full walking height. Any damage to the stonework caused by the fitting of the grill could be rectified and a proper gate fitted inside.

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Here is a bit more. Chew this over and please let me have comments, good or bad. Im am doing all this for you people so Trust policy will of course reflect the wishes of the mining community.

Cambrian Mines Trust.

Application for underground access permit.


This is an agreement between Cambrian Mines Trust Ltd (hereinafter referred to as “the Trust” and …………………………………………………...an *individual/organisation in respect of the granting of a permit for underground access to disused mines on land owned or leased by the Trust. (Hereinafter referred to as “the permit)

Whereas
In consideration of the granting of the permit, subject to the terms and conditions set out below, I the undersigned *as an individual/ nominated officer of

…..………………………………………………………………………………………
herby agree that all activities will be entirely at *my/our own risk, and that *I/we shall indemnify and keep indemnified the Trust, its employees, servants, lessees, and assigns against all losses, costs, damages and claims, consequential and otherwise, incurred as a result of the granting of a permit.
(* delete as appropriate)

Signed………………………………………………….Date……………………………………………

Address………………………………………………………………………………..............................

……………………………………………………………………..email……………………………….

Witnessed by………………………………………….Witness signature………………………………..

Witness address……………………………………………………………………………………………

Conditions
1/ A permit will normally be issued for sporting, or recreational purposes, or scientific study only. All commercial activities are forbidden. Any outdoor centres wishing to take paying groups will have to make individual arrangements with the Trust.

2/ If this application is on behalf of an organisation, (typically a mining or caving club) all underground visits shall be led by a competent person experienced in underground exploration. That leader shall be responsible for the overall safety of the group and any claims for loss, injury, damages etc however incurred shall be directed against that club or association.

3/ The passing on of lock codes to third parties is forbidden. In the event that this happens then the person so doing shall become responsible for the safety of the person to whom the code was given, and any consequential liability.

4/ The Trust expressively forbids the removal of any minerals, (except small pocket size samples for private collection), artefacts or other materials or interference with the fabric of the mine in any way. Ripping out sound ladders to create ‘sporting pitches’, fitting zip wires etc is particularly frowned on. The underground environment shall be treated with respect at all times as an archaeological site and due attention paid to any legislation governing wildlife such as bats found in the mine. Any persons who break this condition shall be banned from all Trust properties in the future without exception.

5/All gates will be left secure with the lock properly fastened. Any damage to gates or locks shall be reported to the Trust within a reasonable time.


6/Further to condition no 4 above, no digging, tunnelling, or re-access projects shall be undertaken without written authority from the Trust.

Upon receipt of this properly completed form the company shall dispatch by email the permit and lock code for all gates on property owned by the Trust. A list of sites can be obtained from the Trusts website www.cambrian mines.co.uk. If you have no email, please enclose a stamped and addressed envelope.

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Brilliant News. Well done Roy and thanks for all the hard work I know you have put into this.

Graham

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Brilliant News. Well done Roy and thanks for all the hard work I know you have put into this.

Graham

Might see you the weekend.

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Well done that man ! Your "softly softly catchee monkey" approach paid off. Brilliant work.

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Great news Roy, thanks for all your hard work :thumbsup:

Only been in once, about 15/16 years ago....looks like I get to go back again 😉 😉

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I only wish I could help.. Unfortunately we're going on holiday this weekend and although all the family are cavers I can't see me being allowed to divert the holiday to Cwmystwyth 😞

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Yes its short notice, but there will be other weekends.

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Roy,
This is excellent news. I can probably give a hand for one day over the long weekend and I may be able to borrow a 9" petrol angle grinder and bring suitable disks. PM me to sort out the best day and if you need any other gear.

Cheers,
Dave

Not somewhere i've visited yet, but looks like a great project Roy. 😎

Congratuations Roy and very well done!
You're not asking for any insurance from visitors?

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Hi Helen
No, we are going to join BCA ourselves as an Access Controlling Body so will have our own insurance.
There are no requirements for access at all except that people abide by our conditions, and all I am trying to do there is safeguard the mines. I doubt that there will ever be locks on any mines that the Trust owns anyway, but they may be a requirement of landowners were the Trust is just an ACB.

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Well done Roy :thumbsup:

Good news. I look forward to the trip at NAMHO.

Chris.

Well done Roy thats great news.
Can't help you this weekend but would like to help out in the future.

I will use this site and our own to publicise work weekends there. The trouble at the moment is that its all happened so suddenly. I have to prioritise on getting the mines reopened and inspected in time for NAMHO, some of the levels have not been entered since about 2005.

Next project will be removal of the grill from Taylors Level, mucking out the entrance, and rebuilding the packwall of the adit cutting. I will want to test oxygen levels inside hoping for an improved air flow with the mucking out.

No 3 will need funding. A gateway signage in English and Welsh "Welcome to Cwmystwyth Mines" to increase public awareness of the what the site is. An interpretation board inside the fenced off mill area, or better still the existing one from the other side of the road relocating and a new one in the present position describing South Cwmystwyth. Problem there is a dearth of information, but I bet George Hall would come up with something.

The mill area seriously needs work after the last heavy rains, the stream bed has shifted and is now eroding the spoil heap of mill waste, and there was originally a drystone wall there to retain the spoil.
The original drainage culvert under the road could be reopened as part of the project, Highways Agency have had a lot of trouble there with water flowing over the road and freezing plus erosion of the road itself.
Maybe I can stitch together a joint funded project between the various stakeholders.
It’s all good fun.

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This is a huge achievement for which congratulations & thanks are in order. I went into Cwmystwyth many years ago and I hope to get in there again - truly a memorable experience.