THE WELSH MINES PRESERVATION TRUST

YMDDIRIEDOLAETH CADWRAETH MWYNFEYDD CYMRU

NEWS SHEET 3
March 2018

SECRETARY’S NOTES
Welcome to the Spring 2018 edition of the WMPT News Sheet. Over the winter Nigel
Chapman has retired from his role as a Director and Membership Secretary: we thank
him for the years of valuable service he has given the Trust. Nigel has also led the
majority of the Trust Working weekends.

Peter White has agreed to take over Nigel’s role as Membership Secretary. If you have
already sent 2018 membership subscriptions to Nigel, that will not be a problem. Thank
you. From now on please send subscriptions to:

Peter White
Maesglas Uchaf
Ysbyty Ystwyth
Ystrad Meurig
Ceredigion SY25 6DD

At our AGM in December it was decided to appoint two new directors: Ioan Lord, from
Cwm Rheidol, Aberystwyth, and David Sables from Trinity St David’s (Lampeter)
University. We welcome them both.
Ioan has a deep interest in the mines of Mid Wales and has been active in recent Trust
projects at Cwmbyr, the Caegynon powder magazine, and Llywernog. He will be
publishing his first book later this year, on the mines of Cwm Rheidol.
David has been involved for many years in researching mining history and the
archaeology of Strata Florida, while he studies for his Ph.D at Lampeter.
My best wishes to all. Graham

GEORGE HALL’S INDEX — AT LAST!

The trial version of the late G. W. Hall’s Index of metalliferous mines ... Wales and Shrop-
shire ... in the Mining Journal, 1835–1921, digitised, revised and edited by members of the
Trust, is now available for consultation on our website. Corrections will be welcomed.
WORKING WEEKENDS
If anyone is interested in taking part in working weekends, all of which this summer will
be in Mid Wales, please note this on your membership application form. Dates will be
advertised on our website. and members expressing an interest will be advised by email
or phone.

Any member who wishes to lead a working weekend in another part of Wales should
contact the Secretary.

WORK IN PROGRESS

LLYWERNOG

Operations at the Lly-

wernog Mine Museum have
been going on throughout
the winter; work is progres-
sing towards the Heritage
Weekend, which will be
held on 24 and 25 March
2018. Recent achievements
include the completion of
both indoor exhibition
rooms at the museum, the
installation of new belts in
the jigger shed, and the re-
storation of the Snailbeach
and Esgairmwyn jiggers to
working order. The tailrace
pipes for the 14' jigger waterwheel have been cleared, and the jigging machinery was
given a successful test run under water power in February. New sluices have been
installed above the jigger and buddle waterwheels, both of which will be at work during
the Heritage Weekend. New paddles for the undershot waterwheel in Afon Llywernog
near the jigger shed have arrived, and are almost ready for installation. Recent
acquisitions for the museum include a locally-made nineteenth-century wooden cart,
similar to those used to transport ore from the mines, together with a rare example of a
wooden ore skip discovered in a derelict farm nearby. The cart has been partially
repaired by members of the WMPT and is on cosmetic display in the jigger shed: the ore
skip was taken back to the mine from which it came, Rheidol United, to be photographed
before being deposited at Llywernog on long-term loan. It can now be seen, together with
many other rare and fragile artefacts (wheelbarrows, hats, clogs), in the crusher house.

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CAECYNON

Reconstruction of the roof of the powder magazine

(originally constructed in the 1860s and in use
until the 1930s) is now complete, and further
restoration will begin in the near future. The 1920s
wooden lining, as well as
the new rafters and
battens fixed last year by
members of the Trust, will
be painted with wood pre-
servative, and new barge
boards and a wooden door
will be installed. The enamelled notice-plate required by the
Explosives Acts, originally fixed to the (now missing) door, has
been discovered in the Mining Museum at Llywernog, and a
replica will be attached to the new door when it is fitted. Work
is expected to be finished in spring 2018.

RHEIDOL UNITED: THE GWAITHCOCH ORE-BINS

The well-known, although

rapidly degrading Gwaith-
coch ore-bins at Rheidol
United were in urgent
need of conservation by
winter 2017/18. The stone-
work above both of the
collapsed lintels at the
picking chutes had fallen,
leaving large holes in the
delaminating walls above
them; large stones were
dropping from the wall
almost every week. Two
replacement lintels have
been obtained, in the form
of jarrah wood railway
sleepers: these have been inserted in the original sockets, and the stone walls above them
will soon be rebuilt and strengthened. The bins themselves will also be cleared of gorse
and other vegetation to protect the masonry, and the fallen debris under the lintels will
be cleared and tidied. Mortar will be used to conserve the backs of the walls, where the
stonework has crumbled away beyond the stage at which it can be rebuilt from beneath.

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WEMYSS AND PONT CEUNANT

Early in November last year the lintel over the front opening of the small building beside
the road at Wemyss finally gave way, and the rubble walling above cascaded on to the
grass verge. The Trust proposes to replace the lintel and reconstruct the wall surface to
the height at which it stood before the collapse.

Further down the valley, at Pont Ceunant, the cable tower of the 1899 electrical system,
across the road from the generating station, suffered a serious injury some years ago
when a car crashed into the downhill front corner of the plinth. The fallen stones were
rescued, and it is intended to repair the damage when the work at Wemyss is finished.

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 WELSH MINES PRESERVATION TRUST
YMDDIRIEDOLAETH CADWRAETH MWYNFEYDD CYMRU

APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP 2018

Name .....................................................................

Address .....................................................................

.....................................................................

.....................................................................

........................................ Postcode .................

Phone .....................................................................

E-mail .....................................................................

I wish to renew my membership / become a member [delete as applicable] of the Welsh

Mines Preservation Trust for 2018, at a subscription, including surface-only insurance,
of £12.

Please note that the insurance covers surface activities only, and does not provide cover for any activities
underground.

I wish to receive future issues of the Newsletter on paper / in PDF (Adobe Acrobat
format), by e-mail / on CD [delete as applicable].

Your support of the Trust is greatly appreciated.

Please send this form and your cheque to

Peter White
Maesglas Uchaf
Ysbyty Ystwyth, Ystrad Meurig
Ceredigion SY25 6DD