This was an afternoon revisit to the Mawddach area, about a year after I first looked at the Golwern & Henddol slate mines/quarries on the south side of the estuary.
Cyfannedd. Just east of Golwern & Henddol is a site labelled as Cyfannedd Slate Works on the map below - I walked past it on the way out last time.
It was too dark to see much although it looked more like a metal mine than a slate mine at the time.
Looking up the available history, Cyfannedd (Fawr) apparently started as a lead and copper mine in 1827.
The early work must have been from shafts - there are a number off the map to the right - since the main level (tunnel) wasn’t driven until 1842.
It’s also been called a ‘silver mine’ because the ore contained an appreciable amount of silver (40 oz per ton), usually recovered as a byproduct during smelting.
Manganese is also mentioned - maybe there was some although the main manganese mines are on the other side of the estuary.
The hills in this area are largely composed of slate and some useable stuff was apparently found later on (1870-80), accounting for the name on the map, with the works finally shown as disused by 1900.
Approaching from below the first thing you come across is the remains of a water-powered mill for crushing ore, with no machinery left.
Above this is the main waste tip with some fairly large ore bins nearby.
The waste next to the bins looks like a mixture of lead and copper mine leavings.
Further up is a ruin with the tunnel entrance behind.
Sadly this didn’t go more than about 75 - 100 yards.
The right branch ends in rock pool after about 20 yards.
Wading on knees up the main tunnel a bit further it didn’t look promising - a flow of water but no breeze and orange gunk heading towards the ceiling.
Back out.
So no wondrous caverns here then - didn’t even get to the first shaft.
continued
Cyfannedd. Just east of Golwern & Henddol is a site labelled as Cyfannedd Slate Works on the map below - I walked past it on the way out last time.
It was too dark to see much although it looked more like a metal mine than a slate mine at the time.
Looking up the available history, Cyfannedd (Fawr) apparently started as a lead and copper mine in 1827.
The early work must have been from shafts - there are a number off the map to the right - since the main level (tunnel) wasn’t driven until 1842.
It’s also been called a ‘silver mine’ because the ore contained an appreciable amount of silver (40 oz per ton), usually recovered as a byproduct during smelting.
Manganese is also mentioned - maybe there was some although the main manganese mines are on the other side of the estuary.
The hills in this area are largely composed of slate and some useable stuff was apparently found later on (1870-80), accounting for the name on the map, with the works finally shown as disused by 1900.
Approaching from below the first thing you come across is the remains of a water-powered mill for crushing ore, with no machinery left.
Above this is the main waste tip with some fairly large ore bins nearby.
The waste next to the bins looks like a mixture of lead and copper mine leavings.
Further up is a ruin with the tunnel entrance behind.
Sadly this didn’t go more than about 75 - 100 yards.
The right branch ends in rock pool after about 20 yards.
Wading on knees up the main tunnel a bit further it didn’t look promising - a flow of water but no breeze and orange gunk heading towards the ceiling.
Back out.
So no wondrous caverns here then - didn’t even get to the first shaft.
continued
