CPAT Regional Historic Environment Record
The following information is from the on-line database 'Archwilio'.
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Talacre/Gronant

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 103343
Trust : Clwyd Powys
Community : Llanasa
Unitary authority : Flintshire
NGR : SJ0974582972
Site Type (preferred type first) : POST MEDIEVAL LEAD MINE / POST MEDIEVAL SILVER MINE

Description :
Lead/Silver (Early 18th century-1907)

Geology
Carboniferous Limestone with chert beds.

Workings
The Talacre Vein and the Joint-y-clawdd Vein run east to west through Gronant, with smaller string running off from the main veins. The Talacre Mine Company and the Gronant Lead Mining Company, working the same areas and amalgamated in 1881.

The older and shallower workings on the vein were to the north-west of Kelston Farm (SJ10408250), where lead was gained from several shafts and opencuts. Deeper workings in this area were later conducted by the Talacre Mining and Drainage Company (1892-1910).

A single shaft is visible in a field south of Kelston Farm at SJ10308220 and several shafts to the north-west of the Farm at SJ10308275, SJ10208265, SJ10108255 and SJ10108265. Shafts are made safe and appear as grassed over mounds on fields of pasture.

A single shaft at the southern extremity appears at SJ10258220.

Old shafts were worked in the early 19th century within the vicinity of Pentre Farm (SJ09548286). A single shaft is visible at SJ09508289 and the area to the south of the Farm has been the subject of later quarrying.

A single shaft remains to the east of the school at SJ09638298. To the east of this, the 1960s bungalows of Marian Close have been built on what was an area of considerable waste.

The shafts ran eastwards across Home Farm.

In 1892, The Talacre District Mining and Drainage Company took over and worked the mines until 1907.

The mines were sold as part of the Talacre Estate in 1920 and some quarrying for gravel and spar continued.

Transport
A mineral railway ran from the dressing floor areas west of Engine Shaft, crossing the Llanasa Road and continuing northwards to the smithy and shaft at SJ10008310.

Power
The Cornish Engine House is due for demolition. It stands on a contractor's yard at SJ09808290 (May 1993). The stonework, although rendered in part, remains good, but the interior was adapted for workshop use and the roof corrugated sometime in the 1950s. The house stands to three storey's high and is surrounded by the demolition of other mine buildings.

The Engine Shaft was near the mine smithy at the end of the mineral railway.

The contemporary Mining Journal of 1868 lists a 60" pumping engine with two boilers for sale and in an 1886 edition an 18" winding and air compressor engine (Bayles 1967).

Processing
The processing area appears to have been lost to the housing on Marian Close.

Other features
Sale particulars for James Kyrke's estate and mining interests for 1849, deposited in the CRO include his shares in Talacre Lead mine and mines in the Parish of Llanasa, listing rails, whimseys, waggons and various other mining implements.

The row of cottages on Llanasa Road at SJ09608310 belonged to the mine. Woodland and King's Cottage were workers' cottages and Cartref Tegfan was the Manager's house.

See also PRN 103296
which may be same site.

Sources :
Anon , 1920 , Plan on Conveyance 18th October 1920
Anon , nd , Untitled: Plan of land to N of Talacre/Gronant lead mine
Anon , nd , Untitled: Plan of property, Tan-y-Marian Cottage
Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust , 1993 , Site visit record - PRN103343
Williams, C. J., & Bick, D , 1992 , List of metalliferous mine sites of industrial archaeological importance

Events :

Related records
CPAT Historic Environment Record (HER) 103343

Compiled date : 28-02-1985


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, 12:30 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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