CPAT Regional Historic Environment Record
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Minera Mines, Taylor's Shaft

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 100042
Trust : Clwyd Powys
Community : Minera
Unitary authority : Wrexham
NGR : SJ27005122
Site Type (preferred type first) : POST MEDIEVAL SILVER MINE / POST MEDIEVAL LEAD MINE / POST MEDIEVAL ZINC MINE
Status : scheduled monument

Description :
Lead/Silver/Zinc (1852-1913)

Geology
The Main Vein and the Red Vein in Carboniferous Limestone.

Workings
The Taylor's shaft area formed the main centre of mining activity for the Minera Mines from the mid-19th century.

The shaft area lies to the south-western side of the mineral railway track.

Uphill and to the north-west of the Smithy, the Bryn Heulwen Shaft is capped at SJ26835125 with a stone wall surround (PRN 104262).

Transport
The line of the 1850s mineral railway, which served the lead mines is clearly visible and forms a public footpath which links all the main shafts to the smelting area at New Brighton.

Power
The foundations of the Taylor's engine house, boiler house and chimney have been partly excavated by the 1993 programme of the Wrexham Maelor Borough Council Reclamation Scheme on Area 3a.

The ashlar base of the 80" cylinder is visible, being the largest engine on the Minera sett.

The balance-box, the capstan-pit, rope trench and the concrete base of the winding engine have all been revealed.

The 80" pumping engine worked the shaft until it was sold in 1910 to Wheal Rodney in Cornwall. A Cornish 15" cylinder engine was on site also, which continued to work until 1908.

The two reservoirs visible along the roadside up to Esclusham Mountain at SJ26205150 supplied water power for the machinery and served the dressing floors of the Minera Mines. The channels and sluices that conducted the water downhill are visible along the roadside.

A lower reservoir remains as earthworks to the west of the Taylor's Shaft area; its leat is dried up.

Processing
The site of the dressing floor machinery remains on the north-western side of the mineral railway track and includes a battery of ore bins that await excavation and consolidation.

Other features
The Manager's Office, main workshops, saw mill, blacksmith' shop, joiner's shop, fitter's shop and stores were all on the main site.

The smithy area lies to the south of Taylor's Shaft on the road up to Esclusham Mountain. The smithy remains in a poor state of repair at SJ27025116 and was apparently also used as a mortuary. The area is outside the present Reclamation scheme.

The foundations remain at basal level of the cottage and enclosed garden at Pant-y-naf, the house built for the workman who was in charge of the reservoirs.

Scheduled 1997 as an example of an outstandingly complete excavated mine, and for group value with other sites. (Cadw 1997).

Sources :
Bennett, J , 1995 , Minera Lead Mines and Quarries
Cadw , 1997 , Plan of Minera Mines, Taylor's Shaft
Cadw , 1997 , Scheduling map - De243(WRE)
Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust , 1993 , Site visit record - PRN100042

Events :

Related records
CPAT Historic Environment Record (HER) 100042

Compiled date : 31-12-1982


Images :



Archaeological data, from the Historic Environment Record, supplied by The Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust in partnership with Local Authorities, Cadw and the partners of ENDEX © CPAT, 2025 (and in part © Crown, 2025). It is intended to be used for private research only and is not for use as part of commercial projects. If you wish to use this information for publication in printed or multimedia form or to compile resources for commercial use, prior permission must be obtained in writing. Use of this information is subject to the terms and conditions of access to HER data published on CPAT's website. Please contact the HER if you have any further questions regarding this information. Please quote the Primary Reference Numbers (PRNs) in any correspondence.

April 18, 2025, 12:48 pm - File produced for Archwilio from CPAT's Regional HER.
Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust, The Offices, Coed y Dinas, Welshpool, Powys, SY21 8RP
tel (01938) 553670, email her@cpat.org.uk, website www.cpat.org.uk

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