Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Chimney
Betws-y-Coed, Conwy, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II
- Broad class
- Industrial
- Date of designation
- 30 May 1996
- Locality
- Llanrwst Lead Mine
- Community
- Betws-y-Coed
- Unitary authority
- Conwy
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 53.11727, -3.82488
- Cadw reference
- 17830
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesLlyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of WalesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1795 "To Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn Bart ... the map of the six counties of North Wales is most humbly inscribed by his obedient humble servant" (Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of Wales).
Cadw's description
Location
Located at the northern boundary of the community council area, 150m N of Llyn Sarnau; sited to the E of an unclassified road leading SW from the Gwydir forest to join with the A5 at the Pont Ty-hyll.
Exterior
History: The Llanrwst Lead Mine was established in 1876-7 as one of a series of such mines to exploit the rich lead deposits of the Gwydir Forest; earlier workings on the site, recorded already in the C18, had gone by the name of the Bwlch-yr-Haiarn mine. The working life of the Llanrwst mine was relatively shortlived, mining in the area ceasing around the beginning of the Great War; of the mine buildings, all save the chimney are now in ruins. The chimney was built to provide a through-draught for the boiler-house fire, and is sited in its NW corner; the ruined engine house is adjacent. This itself originally housed a 25" cylinder horizontal condensing engine, built by the Sandycroft Foundry Co., Deeside.
Description: Cylindrical chimney, 18m high, with a noticeable lean to the W; on a rubble plinth in the NW corner of the former boiler-house. The lower two-thirds are of rubble construction, the upper section of red brick; oversailing courses to corniced top. Small brick-arched vent to the W side at ground level.
An imposing chimney testifying to the formerly important lead mining industry in the Gwydir Forest, and exceptional in this context within North Wales in its surviving juxtaposition with the boiler-house and engine room.
Reference: J. Bennett and R. W. Vernon, Mines of the Gwydir Forest: Part 1, Llanrwst mine and its neighbours, 1989, 12-30.
Nearby in the register
- Vale of Conwy Lead MineLead Mineunder 1 mi
- Hafna Lead Mine MillLead Mineunder 1 mi
- Coed Mawr Pool Lead MineLead Mineunder 1 mi
- Pencraig Isaf FarmhouseDomesticunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.