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Powys Metal Mines Survey


Llanymynech

Llanymynech lies in the community of Carreghofa in the county of Powys. It is located at Ordnance Survey national grid reference SJ2640022000. The mine is recorded in the CPAT Historic Environment Record as number 23483 and this number should be quoted in all correspondence.

Lead/Copper (Pre-Roman ?/Roman/Medieval/19th century)

Geology
Carboniferous limestone with veins trending NNE-SSW. The vein mineralisation includes a calcite gangue with lead and copper ores mainly as secondary oxidisation products including cerrussite and malachite.

Workings
At least 10 shafts were formerly visible before landscaping together with a large number of shallow pits and shaft-mounds. The main workings include the Pit Series, Winze Series and the Ogof workings. The Winze Series at SJ26502236 consists of a long adit at SJ26582225 leading to a winze and levels while the Pit Series consists of two parralel levels which continue northwards as a line of shallow pits on the surface, still visible at SJ26472222, which appear to connect with the Winze Series workings. In the face of the large southern quarry are three levels one of which terminates abruptly while the others continue north and connect with three shafts in the Carreghwfa workings at SJ26502186. There is a connecting quarry tunnel between the two main quarries. Another adit runs west from the base of a quarry on the eastern side of the hill but does not continue for any great distance SJ26932219. Another adit is believed to appear in the western cliff face and can only be reached by ropelines; its position is not confirmed.

Transport
No evidence.

Power
No evidence.

Processing
Lead and/or copper processing probably took place on the hilltop as evidenced by the former reported existence of bole hill smelters and processing spoil heaps prior to landscaping for the golf course. CPAT excavations in 1981, just inside the eastern multivallate defences at SJ26892214, revealed evidence of metalworking hearths relating to the reworking of smelted local copper ores. This activity has been dated to the second and/or first centuries BC by radiocarbon dating.

Other features
No evidence.


This HTML page is reproduced from the Powys and Clwyd Metal Mine Surveys which were undertaken between May 1992 and December 1993 by Mark Walters and Pat Frost of the Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust with financial support from Powys County Council, Clwyd County Council and Cadw: Welsh Historic Monuments. Further information about this site is available in CPAT's Regional Historic Environment Record.
Page produced by Rachel Stebbings and Chris Martin.