CPAT Regional Historic Environment Record
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Minera, Ragman

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 104267
Trust : Clwyd Powys
Community : Brymbo
Unitary authority : Wrexham
NGR : SJ24805280
Site Type (preferred type first) : POST MEDIEVAL LEAD MINE / POST MEDIEVAL SILVER MINE

Description :
Lead/Silver (1865-1870)

Geology
The Ragman Vein in Carboniferous Limestone.

Workings
The Ragman sett worked the area that now forms the boundary of the Limestone Quarry. The north-eastern boundary of the quarry is a series of open workings following the limestone outcrops.

The narrow walls remain in trees of a likely cottage or mine related building at SJ25555225, and a large shaft lies to the south of it at SJ25545224.

The present road to the quarry may cut through the Ragman Mine sett. The Minera Quarry sett worked the Ragman Vein in this area also.The large shaft immediately to the west of the quarry road at SJ25375230, has a large platform area adjacent to it inferring use of an engine.

Transport
The mineral railway ran to the quarry area.

Power
No evidence other than the platform area at SJ25375230.

Processing
No evidence.

Other features
No evidence.
(CPAT Metal Mines Survey)

1. Location

1.1 The Ragman Mine was identified by the OS in 1872 (D.27.8), located at the bottom of the quarry road that runs along the east side of Eisteddfod, at the entrance to the disused Minera Limestone Quarry (the Lester Lime Works of 1872).

2. Geology

2.1 Solid geology - Carboniferous Limestone, which has been intensely quarried on the south side of Eisteddfod. Mineralisation on the Main Vein contained galena with a small silver content and sphalerite at lower levels. Gangue was mainly calcite with some quartz.

3. The Survey

3.1 Although a large part of the workings and the dressing area lie outside the survey area, the survey has recorded shafts and spoil tips on the Ragman Sett which are located on Eisteddfod. Several leats also recorded crossing Eisteddfod appear to have served the Ragman dressing floors.

3.2 Workings

3.2.1 The Ragman Mining Company only entered returns for the period 1865-1867. The mine site recorded by the OS in 1872 appears to have contained at least two engine houses and shafts. These, along with associated buildings and dressing floors, have been destroyed in the expansion of the limestone quarry. Brenton Symons's map of 1865 records the Main Vein crossing Eisteddfod worked as part of the Ragman Sett. The vein can be followed as a run of intermittent shafts from the north side of the Hush to pass east of the main Eisteddfod reservoir (PRN 18801). Four shafts were recorded by Brenton Symons in 1865 and the OS in 1872 on the Main Vein on Eisteddfod.

3.2.2 East of the reservoir (PRN 18801) several small shafts or trials (PRN 12031) lie on the Main Vein. North of these small shafts, a possible early dressing floor (PRN 18865) is located with further small shafts to the north, west of the boundary bank PRN 18780.

3.2.3 A track (PRN 18867) passes south of the small workings (PRN 12031) towards two larger shafts and spoil tips (PRNs 18858-9), also on the Main Vein. These shafts were recorded by Symons (1865) and the OS in 1872 (D.27.8). The shafts are located south of the boundary bank PRN 18869, which with boundary PRN 18780, appears to have separated the Twelve Apostles and Ragman setts.

3.2.4 Several shafts are located on the north-east side of the Hush, which presumably lie on the Main Vein, and were worked by Ragman Mining Company in 1865, as recorded by Brenton Symons. Shaft PRN 18962 with an adjacent area of collapse is located on the north side of leat PRN 18851. A further area of collapse lies to the north of it.

3.2.5 Fenced shaft PRN 18946 has large surrounding spoil tips and a horse whim circle (PRN 18810) c.10.5m diameter on its south side. Ore was presumably transported from the shaft by the short length of tramway (PRN 12084) located on the south side of the shaft. A tramway (PRN 12085) led from the shaft, cutting through the spoil tips around shaft PRN 18958 and continued down the north side of the Hush, presumably to dump waste.

3.2.6 Shaft PRN 18958, with surrounding large spoil tips, probably lies on the Main Vein.

3.2.7 South-east of the whim shaft, a fenced shaft (PRN 18947) with surrounding spoil tip is located on the north side of the modern fence. East of this fenced shaft, lies a second shaft (PRN 18963) with a large spoil tip on its east side. A third shaft (PRN 12032) was surveyed on the edge of the survey limits. All three shafts are located on the Main Vein, north of the Hush Vein workings. The remains of the old boundary, PRN 18950, lies alongside the modern fenceline is probably the southern extent of the Ragman Sett, as recorded on Brenton Symons's map. This suggests that while shafts PRNs 18947, 18963 and 12032 are on the Main Vein on the Ragman Sett, the large fenced shaft PRN 18948 was probably worked by a different company.

3.2.8 Beyond the survey limits, several shafts are located on the eastern slopes of Eisteddfod, west of the disused quarry road. A large shaft (PRN 12033) and spoil tip is lies west of the road near the quarry entrance at SJ25375230 and a fenced shaft (PRN 12034) on the east side of the road at SJ25395231. Upslope of these, shaft PRN 12086 lies east of leat PRN 18951. Further Ragman workings are located on the northern edge of the limestone quarry, as it continues south-east from Eisteddfod. Several large shafts are above the quarry face and levels are visible cutting in northwards.

3.3 Processing

3.3.1 The early dressing floors (PRN 18865) may pre-date the Ragman Sett of 1865. The detail on the 1872 OS map suggests that the main dressing floor area was at the present disused quarry entrance, outside the survey area.

3.3.2 Leat PRN 18744, in its present form, appears to run directly to the Ragman Mine site, as recorded by the OS in 1872. The pair of stone tanks (PRN 18805) located in undergrowth west of the quarry road, may relate to quarry workings and are the likely destination of the main leat.

3.3.3 Leats PRNs 18853, 18855 and 18854 appear to be running in a south-easterly direction from the Hush Vein workings to Ragman Mine.

4. Recommendations

4.1 The sett is recommended for scheduling both as a mine site and as part of the Historic Mining Landscape of Eisteddfod.

4.2 A survey of the surviving earthworks and structures relating to Ragman Mine, outside of the Eisteddfod Mining Landscape, is recommended.
(CPAT Metal Mines Survey - ground survey)

Sources :
Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust , 1993 , Site visit record - PRN104267

Events :

Related records
CPAT Historic Environment Record (HER) 18044

Compiled date : 31-07-1985


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, 1:11 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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