Engine house and chimney at Rhandirmwyn lead-mine

Cadw's description

Location

Situated in old lead workings above and some 1km N of Rhandirmwyn.

History

Later C19 engine-house and chimney to Rhandirmwyn lead-mine. The mine was among the most important in Southern Wales, employing up to 400 people in the period 1775-97 and realising profits for the owner, Lord Cawdor, over that period of £86,707/13/1 1/2d. Less successful in the C19, it was leased from 1823, and from 1836-1900 by Williams of Redruth, Cornwall. It reached its greatest depth before 1850, the lowest entry being below Rhandirmwyn village, S of the church. It is thought that the engine on this shaft, the Angred Shaft, was installed c1880 when the shaft was sunk deeper. The mine was also known as Cerrigmwyn. Lead from here was smelted in Carmarthen in late 1770s and then moved to Llanelli 1811-12, where Charles Nevill was in charge, the foundation of the Nevill family's industrial interests.

Exterior

Engine house and chimney to lead-mine. The engine-house is rubble stone and roofless, rectangular with big arched windows with brick heads. Two arched windows on the N side and small brick-arched opening to right. Rendered W end wall with big arched window, the sill cut down. Windowless S wall with parallel wall, possibly of lean-to. E end has similar large brick-arched opening and remains of a wall at SE connecting to chimney (this feature shown more intact on cover of G W Hall book). Chimney is circular, rubble stone with brick top, and low brick arch at foot.

Interior

In centre of floor is large stone-lined wheel-pit.

Reason for designation

Included as a rare surviving example of a lead-mine engine house, relic of one of the more important mine sites of S.W. Wales.

Scheduled Ancient Monument CM215.