Ioan Lord, A4, Hb, 272pp, includes plans, surveys, sections and a wide range of old and new photographs. Contains geological study of the orefield, history of all 40 mines in the valley and archaeological descriptions of the surface and underground workings. Available from the Vale of Rheidol Railway here.
This detailed history of the lead, silver and zinc mines of Cwm Rheidol and Ystumtuen studies the rise and fall of the mining industry in this often-forgotten part of the Central Wales Orefield. A huge number of sites have and continue to be bulldozed, landscaped and destroyed; sites which have great significance in local heritage, and which shaped and transformed mid-Wales forever. Very few of these local industrial sites are protected, and many more can still be saved and preserved out of the hundreds which are scattered across the county. This book contains the individual histories of each mine site in Cwm Rheidol and Ystumtuen as well as modern day examinations and ground-breaking underground surveys; sites which all contributed to forming one of the largest and most important industries which Ceredigion ever had.
This book is the culmination of many years of archival research, archaeology and underground digs and explorations which tie in the history with some fascinating discoveries recently made hundreds of feet below the earth in Cwm Rheidol and Ystumtuen. It brings together a vast archive of old photographs and documents, maps and books which date back as far as 1670. It demonstrates the local and national importance of a 4,000-year-old industry, which deserves a much higher recognition and value.
George W. Hall’s Index
We have recently placed on our website, by kind permission of the late George Hall’s family and executors, a digital version of his Index to the Mining Journal (Wales and Shropshire, 1835–1921).
The information has been collected from the author’s manuscript sheets, notes, correspondence and file cards, and edited with the help of contributions from several members of the Trust.
News
Llywernog Heritage Weekend 2019
Travel back in time with us on 30th & 31st March as we visit a great industrial age. We warmly invite all to discover and explore by joining us for special demonstrations, tours and a whole host of exciting features.Read More
‘Rich Mountains of Lead’: The Metal Mining Industry of Cwm Rheidol and Ystumtuen
This detailed history of the lead, silver and zinc mines of Cwm Rheidol and Ystumtuen studies the rise and fall of the mining industry in this often-forgotten part of the Central Wales Orefield.Read More
Llawrcwmbach Mine Work Weekend October ’18
Another successful Working Weekend took place on October 6 and 7 at Llawrcwmbach Mine.Read More
2019 Events
| March | 23-24 |
| April | 27-28 |
| June | 8-9 |
| July | 20-21 |
| August/September | 31/1 |
| September | 21-22 |
| October | 26-27 |
Find out more about the events here.
If you plan to attend any of these weekends please contact Ioan on rheilffordd@gmail.com so that he can give you directions and in case there are any changes of plan due to weather etc.
Read our latest newsletter
About the Welsh Mines Preservation Trust
The Welsh Mines Preservation Trust is dedicated to the preservation of the history and heritage of the Welsh metal mining and slate industry.
Our aims include the raising of funds to implement repairs and consolidate structures with the permission of landowners, local authorities and other relevant bodies. Where possible, the final aim will be to make the sites accessible to the public, to enable a proper appreciation of their historical significance and to ensure the maintenance of their fabric in the long term.
We run work weekends once a month each spring, summer and autumn where members and volunteers come together to clear, investigate, record and preserve sites across mid-Wales. There is also a Heritage Weekend once a year.