CPAT Regional Historic Environment Record
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Coed Du Mine

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 100244
Trust : Clwyd Powys
Community : Cilcain
Unitary authority : Flintshire
NGR : SJ19106640
Site Type (preferred type first) : POST MEDIEVAL LEAD MINE / POST MEDIEVAL SILVER MINE

Description :
Lead/Silver (Early 18th-1882)

Geology
The Coed Du cross-course runs north-south through the Carboniferous Limestone beneath Coed Du Wood.

Workings
The numerous shafts and workings within the area of Coed Du Woods and Cefn Cilcen Mine indicate early mining.

Modern spar workings relating to Cefn Spar Mine remain on the site to the north-west of the woods at SJ18706650 and the area to the south-west of the woods has been intensely quarried.

Smith (1921) refers to the Cefn-Cilcain Vein being entered from an adit from near the River Alyn in 1880 and the sett also worked the north-south Coed Du cross-course vein.

Evidence of 19th century mining remains as shafts spread over a very large area of woodland.

To the north and across the road from Cefn Farm, within an area of rough pasture, there remains;
a large shaft and whim circle at SJ19426605 and
an Engine Shaft at SJ19426607. The semi-circular wall of an earlier shaft seems to lie to the north of the above shaft.

The workings on this vein to the west have been lost to quarrying.

Further shafts to the south of this area, probably on the same vein can be identified at SJ19356583, SJ18956599 and SJ18856560.

The larger shafts and spoil mounds identified through the woodland cutting north to south are located at SJ18726622, SJ18846640, SJ18646655, SJ18686660, SJ19046664, SJ19066665 and SJ19176675.

Transport
No evidence.

Power
A stone-built engine house stands at SJ19426607, with its bob-pit and adjacent boiler house partly intact. Some of the mounting bolts remain in situ and the cylinder base indicates a 36" engine.

The whim circle remains at SJ19426605.

Processing
The site lies uphill from the site of the River Alyn smelt mill.

Other features
No evidence.

Sources :
Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust , 1993 , Site visit record - PRN100244

Events :

Related records
CPAT Historic Environment Record (HER) 100244

Compiled date : 31-12-1982


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 20, 2025, 12:52 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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