CPAT Regional Historic Environment Record
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Halkyn, Central/Halkyn, New North Mine

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 103388
Trust : Clwyd Powys
Community : Halkyn
Unitary authority : Flintshire
NGR : SJ20307070
Site Type (preferred type first) : POST MEDIEVAL LEAD MINE

Description :
Lead (18th century-1913)

Geology
Carboniferous Limestone with chert beds.

Workings
The area was intensely mined from the 18th century and formed the site of large-scale operations in the 20th century by several companies. The Central Halkyn Mining Co (1901-1910) and the New North Halkyn Companies entered returns for the sett (Burt et al 1992).

Little evidence of workings remain in an area designated as a Welsh Development Agency Landscape Wales Project in conjunction with Delyn Borough Council.

Shaft mounds and spoil heaps remain surrounding the Pant Quarry area.

The Engine House of the New North Halkyn Shaft or Pen-y-bryn Shaft stood at SJ20307070 with the shaft to the west of it. This area now lies within the quarry. The shaft was the central area of the Halkyn District United Mines in the 20th century and became the main shaft on the Deep-Level Tunnel.

Transport
The underground diesel railway of the Halkyn District United Mines served the sett (Richardson 1936).

Power
The 20th century workings were powered by electricity.

The sett was drained by the Deep-Level Tunnel.

Processing
Smith (1921) records the ores being dealt with at a concentration-plant near Lewis Shaft. The details refer to the early 20th century procedure:
'Ore is crushed with manganese steel jaws to fragments 8mm or less, this being the size of the largest jig-mesh. It is then sorted by trommels and water classifiers and passed into jigs. Elevator buckets used for re-crushing are also of manganese steel. At the new building the grades obtained from the jigs are mixed and recrushed, put through rollers and again through trommels and water classifiers....further separation of slimes is effected by round buddles.....'.

The sieved galena from the Pantygof vein, which contained no fluorspar was sent to the Potteries for glazing. The mixed grades were sent to Purex Ltd, of Greenford, Middlesex for smelting. Galena was sent to Parker & Co. of Bagillt and to Messrs Quirk, Barton and Burns of St Helens.

The buildings on this site were demolished in 1972.

A new mill was built around the Pen-y-bryn Shaft in 1932 (Richardson 1936) and these buildings were demolished in the 1960s.A large processing mill was erected the Pen-y-bryn Shaft in 1932 (Richardson 1936).

Other features
The main workshops surrounded the Pen-y-bryn Shaft.

Sources :
Britnell, W J, Martin, C H R & Hankinson, R , 2000 , Holywell Common and Halkyn Mountain: Historic Landscape Characterization ( © Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust)
Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust , 1993 , Site visit record - PRN103388

Events :
39362 : Historic Landscape Characterisation, Holywell Common and Halkyn Mountain (year : 1999-2000)

Related records

Compiled date : 28-02-1985


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 20, 2025, 12:38 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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