CPAT Regional Historic Environment Record
The following information is from the on-line database 'Archwilio'.
Use the icons in the sources section below to download further digital information.

Minera Lower Park Mine

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 104372
Trust : Clwyd Powys
Community : Minera
Unitary authority : Wrexham
NGR : SJ25105140
Site Type (preferred type first) : MULTIPERIOD LEAD MINE / MULTIPERIOD ZINC MINE

Description :
Lead/Zinc (1803-late 19th century)

Geology
The Park Vein runs south-easterly from the limestone quarry area through the limestone outcrops and continues for over a mile across Esclusham Mountain.

Workings
The Lower Park Mine worked the high moorland area that is now occupied by the disused Park Farm. Reference is made to a Robert Morgan of Minera Hall sinking a shaft at Park Mine in 1803 and Lower Park Shaft being sunk in 1821 (Davies 1964) on the land then belonging to the Duke of Westminster.

The earliest workings on the Park Sett were in the vicinity of Park Farm (SJ24955151). Several shafts have been sunk in the area to a shallow depth and were apparently worked out by 1863 (Earp 1958).

A ladder shaft and other shafts remain to the south of the track at SJ25205128.

To the north of the track, a large shaft at SJ25205135, approx 10m diameter has a whim with stone wall enclosure that has partly collapsed into the shaft.

A linear stone bank has a parallel recessed wall forming a possible coe at SJ25225138, to the north of the whim shaft.

To the west of the mine office a large shaft at SJ25135137 has a whim circle approx 7.5m diameter.

A line of seven shafts run westwards from the farm track towards the western boundary wall.

The third from the west has a stone wall surrounding the top of it and a possible whim platform (SJ25045137). The fourth from the west (SJ24965136) has a circular wall around the top. The stone-lined shaft has a square coe on the east side.

Further shafts and spoil mounds lie to the south of the above run, in the vicinity of the pond at SJ24945127.

Immediately across the boundary, to the west of the farm wall, there are two shaft mounds at SJ24895137.

A linear north-south natural limestone outcrop traverses this western field; it includes trial shafts. The shallow shafts on this part of the site may be some of the earliest workings.

A run of shallow shafts and open workings aligned east-west, crosses the field immediately to the west of the farmhouse itself.

Further shafts lie in the field to the north-east of the farmhouse, running aligned north-east to south-west.

Two shafts are immediately behind the farm buildings at SJ25005153.

Transport
No evidence.

Power
The leat for the Minera Mines encircles the Farm sett to the south-west, crossing the entrance track to the mine.

A sunken rectangular stone-lined pond feature (SJ25105138), approx 5 x 3x 1m deep lies to the north-west of the mine office and whim shaft at SJ25205135.

Several whim shafts are identifiable on the ground and from aerial photographic evidence.

A large pond remains at SJ24945127.

Processing
No evidence.

Other features
The former mine office (SJ25155138), as marked on Brunton Symons Map of 1865, which has the appearance of a derelict cottage, with re-used dressed stone lintels; the stone is similar to that which could have been used on an engine house.

The former mine office or agent's house and garden, as it is described in the 1899 schedule of buildins for the sett, is enclosed by a low stone wall.

See also PRN 104196.
(CPAT Metal Mines Survey)

1. Location

1.1 The earliest workings on the Park Vein were on the high moorland area east of Aber Sychnant, now occupied by the abandoned Park Farm. The site is located alongside the mountain road between Minera c.2km to the east and Llangollen c.10km to the south-west.

2. Geology

2.1 Solid geology - Carboniferous Limestone, which outcrops on the sett. Mineralisation on the west end of the Park Vein included galena with a small silver content and gangue calcite. Sphalerite was mined on the lower eastern levels of the Park Vein.

3. The Survey

3.1 The survey was restricted to the area south-east of Park Farm, which was the site of Lower Park Mine. The site is within a proposed extraction area for the Minera limestone quarry to the north, although at present the quarry lies dormant. The eastern end of the site lies within the Ruabon/Llantisilio Mountains SSSI (see Plate 6).

3.2 Workings

3.2.1 Lower Park worked the north-western end of the Park Vein and two parallel south-west strings off it. In February 1803, Earl Grosvenor granted a 14-year lease to, amongst others, John Wilkinson of Lancaster, William Wilkinson of Plas Gronow, Robert Burton of Minera and Thomas Jones of Brymbo for land in the township of Esclusham called the Park (D/GR/65). The covenant ordered them to pay 315 pounds for the erection of a house and buildings, presumably the mine office and outbuildings (PRNs 105006 and 18942). Other early 19th-century leases refer specifically to mining at Esclusham. In August 1822, Earl Grosvenor granted a 21-year lease to John Burton of Minera to mine "lead ore, calamine, cauk or white ore and blackjack" on land in "Esclusham Park" and surrounding wastes (D/GR/67) and in September of the same year, a second 21-year lease (D/GR/68) was granted to Burton, James Kyrke of Ffrith Lodge, Brymbo (miner and lead smelter), Richard Kirk of Gresford and John Phillips, a Minera miner for "enclosed lands called Esclusham Park" and common land on the mountain. Exploration for minerals was also conducted on land on Esclusham belonging to the Wynnstay Estates, where the Park Vein was later explored by the Park Mining Company. A lease dated 1811 to work the "messuage and lands in Esclusham Above in tenure of Thomas Jones" for lead, copper and calamine was granted to Robert Burton of Minera, John Burton, a Wrexham merchant, John Phillips of Minera, a mine agent, William Jones, a Brymbo miner and David Jones of Esclusham Above by Sir Watkin William Wynn (CROR DD/W/722). The Mining Journals suggest that the profitable years for the Lower Park Mine were 1821-24. John Burton and Robert Morgan were leasing the land, and had sunk a shaft in 1821 to a depth of 100yds. A plan attached to the 21-year lease, granted to James Kyrke and John Burton and others in 1822 (D/GR/68), shows two shafts already sunk on Lower Park.

3.2.2 Several small shafts and spoil tips (PRN 18918) are located west of Park Farm, near the limestone pavements above the Aber Sychnant. These appear to be trials south of the Park Vein, which continues eastwards across the survey area. The workings are located amongst the limestone outcrops, which suggests that the shafts are probably not very deep. A run of shallow trial pits, also probably early workings (PRN 18900) are located at the south-west of the survey area, along the boundary wall.

3.2.3 Many substantial shafts and tips are located on the main mine sett, some with associated whims and ore-bins and some have stone collars. Within the Esclusham Mountain area, stone collared shafts are unique to Lower Park and only isolated examples of collaring are found in Clwyd in general. The collars on shafts PRNs 18902-3 have particularly large amounts of weathered stone inside them, suggesting that the shafts once had a beehive capping. The mining lease granted by the Duke of Westminster in December 1882 (D/GR/85), to Adam Eyton, lead smelter of Llanerch-y-mor and Edward Williams of Wrexham, a mine agent for 21 years for the Minera Mountain Mines included Lower Park. One of the stipulations of the lease, was that they should "build a substantial stone wall around pits" and "when the pit goes out of use, shall fill up with earth and waste and cover with arch of stone", in other words, a beehive capping.

3.2.4 The last returns for the Lower Park Mining Company were made in 1863. The shallowness of the limestone in the area suggests that the minerals may have been exhausted by then. The Park Vein was already being worked from deeper shafts to the east by the Park Mine Company by this time. At Lower Park, the vein had been worked above any water level and an underground system of caves and natural passages (now designated an SSSI) provided natural drainage for the mine.

3.2.5 Several large shafts are located to either side of the track (PRN 18929) that leads to the derelict farm buildings from the mountain road. On the south side of the farm track, shaft PRN 18895 is surrounded by a large spoil tip and possibly three ore-bins (PRNs 18896-7/18933) built into the spoil. Ore was raised from the shaft by a horse whim, the circle of which (PRN 18908), c.8m diameter, lies east of the shaft.

3.2.6 Fenced shaft PRN 18899 is located east and uphill of the whim circle. North of this, a small shaft or trial has been partly infilled.

3.2.7 A fenced shaft and spoil tip (PRN 18894), located on the southern edge of the farm track, remains open providing access to the underground cave system and is covered with a corrugated iron sheet. The remains of a stone-lined ore-bin (PRN 18907) is located on its north-west side.

3.2.8 Shaft PRN 18934 is located below the quarry (PRN 18893), where stone may have been quarried for mine buildings. An isolated shaft (PRN 18935) is located between the quarry and the large western shafts to the north.

3.2.9 The largest collar shaft (PRN 18887), now full of modern rubbish, is located south of the track. The stone collar is c.5.5m diameter, c.0.5m high and 0.7m wide. Ore was raised from the shaft by a horse whim (PRN 18909) located on the west side. On the north side of this shaft spoil tip, a second smaller fenced shaft (PRN 18885) is located. A small building (PRN 18886) on the north-east side of the spoil from these shafts, probably formed a shelter or store c.2.75 x 1.5m, with walls surviving to 0.5m high. A possible ore-bin (PRN 12080) is located on the south side of the large collared shaft. Two shafts are located on the east side of the large collared shaft; shaft PRN 18938 and the fenced shaft PRN 18884, which is alongside the farm track.

3.2.10 West of the large collared shaft complex, a fenced shaft PRN 18910 has a stone collar c.1.8m diameter and c.0.6m wide surviving to a height of 0.45m. The shaft has a large surrounding spoil tip and a stone shelter or ore-bin (PRN 18911) on the east side. A second shaft (PRN 18912) is located on the north side of shaft PRN 18910.

3.2.11 Smaller shafts are located either side of the western boundary wall. On the east side, a large shaft and spoil tip (PRN 18913) has been damaged by farm quarrying. West of the boundary wall, shaft PRN 18917 has an area of collapse east of it and a smaller shaft south of it.

3.2.12 Two shafts (PRNs 18939-40) are located east of Park Farmhouse (PRN 18923). South of the farm, on the north-east side of the farm track, shaft PRN 18902 is located with a collar c.2.3m diameter and 0.7m thick, surviving to a height of 0.5m, and a stone ore-bin (PRN 18905) in the south side of its spoil tip. Shaft PRN 18903 has a stone collar c.2.1m diameter and 0.60m thick surviving to c.0.5m high. These two collared shafts are presumed to have had beehive capping. Between these beehive shafts, a large shaft and spoil tip (PRN 18904) has an ore-bin (PRN 18906) in the south side of the spoil tip.

3.2.13 Shaft PRN 18943, located in the north-west corner of the area of dressing waste, has slight traces of a surrounding collar and is now mostly obscured by trees.

3.2.14 The large shaft and spoil tip (PRN 18888) located on the south side of the mine office, was powered by a horse whim (PRN 18889), the circle of which, c.6m diameter, is located on its east side. Two smaller shafts (PRNs 18936-7) are located west of the large whim shaft (PRN 18888).

3.2.15 The largest shaft on the sett is located south-east of the mine buildings, with large spoil tips of development rock surrounding it. The shaft (PRN 18890) is fenced off and filled with modern debris. Ore was raised by horse whim (PRN 18891), the circle of which, c.8m diameter, lies south of the shaft and has a low stone wall surround. A second shaft (PRN 12078) is located on the south-west side of the main shaft, partly obscured by development waste.

3.2.16 Four shafts are visible north of the survey area on the southern edge of the quarry. A small shaft is located along the eastern field boundary (PRN 18932), north of the area of linear quarrying (PRN 18926).

3.3 Later Workings

3.3.1 Take-notes (D/GR/434) were granted by Grosvenor Estates initially from July 1937 to Thomas Peters, of Bersham, for the disposal of wastes from Park Mine sites. The leases were surrenderd by Peters in 1950 and R.H. Evans from Stansty requested the lease. According to the correspondence, trade seems to have been intermittent.

3.4 Processing

3.4.1 Processing was confined to the areas adjacent to the mine agent's house (PRN 105006) within the stone-walled enclosure PRN 18941. East of the house and garden, a dressing floor (PRN 18878), consisting of large spreads of jig waste, is curtailed by the enclosure wall on the north side. East of the spreads of jig waste, a run of stone buildings (PRN 18883) are located alongside the eastern wall of the enclosure. The stone walls survive to a maximum of 1.4m on the north side, and the eastern wall, which runs the length of the buildings, c. 0.8m max. Platform PRN 18892 at the southern end may be an ore-bin for the whim shaft (PRN 18890). Ore was presumably carted onto the dressing floor from the other shafts along track PRN 18390.

3.4.2 North of the mine office (PRN 18876), a second dressing floor area (PRN 18877) is located. The spreads of waste are much finer in this area, suggesting buddle processing. Three circular features were identified which may be buddles; the more obvious feature is PRN 12022. Circular buddles are thought to have been introduced in Cornwall by the 1840s; by mid-19th century, they were replacing the rectangular buddle on most mine sites.

3.5 Water sources

3.5.1 A leat (PRN 18881) carried water from the moorland south of the sett to the reservoir PRN 18882, c.12 x 12m. The leat may have been sluiced off the Aber Sychnant leat (PRN 18181) outside the survey area, but evidence of the source of leat PRN 18881 is lost in the moorland. The reservoir was recorded by the OS in 1872.

3.5.2 Water was sluiced out of the north-eastern corner of the reservoir. The line of the leat (PRN 18880) carrying water from the reservoir can only be traced from a point 33m north-east of the reservoir, from where it runs north before the line is again lost. A second leat PRN 18879 lies east of the track and flows south-east to the north-west corner of reservoir PRN 105007. A flat area on the west side of the farm track, now littered with old farm machinery, is the likely site of a third reservoir, which would presumably form the junction of leats PRNs 18879 and 18889.

3.5.3 The banks of the lower reservoir (PRN 105007) c.5.25 x 4m survive to 0.75m internally. Water was sluiced from the south-east corner and presumably laundered to the dressing floors.

3.6 Buildings

3.6.1 The mine buildings are located within the enclosure PRN 18941. The mine agent's house (PRN 105006) is of solid stone construction with ancillary buildings (PRN 18942), including a bread oven, adjoining the east side and a small garden located on the south side. The house stands to full height with a corrugated iron roof and is now used as a barn. Although the house appears to be a pair of identical cottages with a chimney-breast at each end, there is a connecting doorway visible on the first floor. The ground floor windows and doorways on the south-eastern wall have large dressed stone lintels. The house is surrounded by a low stone wall enclosure. The house, garden out-buildings appear on the 1872 1st edition OS map (D.27.8) in their present form. A schedule of buildings (D/GR/428) submitted by Captain Sampson Mitchell for the Minera Mountain Sett in August 1899 includes the "agent's house and garden" and notes following the schedule refer to the state of the various buildings at this time: "the agent's house and garden are in fairly good condition; roof over kitchen is leaking; lean-to back kitchen is bad and roof wants renewal". The 1899 schedule also refers to a building used by Mr Hector near Lower Park Mine, which is in fairly good repair. There is no suggestion of the location of this building.

3.6.2 The stone walls of the mine office (PRN 18876) located west of the agent's house measure c.6 x 3m and survive to c.1.5m high, with a small southern annex. A chimney is located at the western end of the building and outbuildings adjoin the north side. The structure was surveyed as the "office" for Lower Park Mine by Brenton Symons in 1865. Two runs of ridge and furrow (PRN 18925) are located west of the office. The buildings were recorded by the OS in 1872 in their present form.

3.6.3 Park Farmhouse (PRN 18923) and the outbuildings (PRN 18875) are now unoccupied and derelict.

3.7 Tracks

3.7.1 The main farm track PRN 18929 runs through the site from Park Western Shaft (PRN 104373) on the mountain road.

3.7.2 A track PRN 18930 leads north off the farm track to the mine office and also branches off to the jig areas.

3.7.3 A track (PRN 12021) leads into the dressing floor areas (PRN 18877) from the north and appears to connect to the northern shafts outside of the survey area at SJ52525170 and SJ52535180.

3.7.4 A track (PRN 18964) leads south out of the survey area from the farm track between the shaft PRN 18895 and whim PRN 18908. The track may have been a service track for the Aber Sychnant leat, particularly if leat PRN 18881 was sluiced off it.

3.8 Field Systems

3.8.1 The earthwork remains of a series of low banks define field systems pre-dating the main mining activity and existing boundaries, which could potentially belong to the medieval period.

3.8.2 On the western side of the site, a track (PRN 18919) defined by low banks is presumably associated with boundaries PRNs 18915, 18916, 18898, 18920 and 18928, forming a field system pre-dating all other features in this area.

3.8.3 To the east, further boundaries (PRNs 18931, 12070 and 18932) define a similar and probably contemporary field system.

3.8.4 Boundary PRN 18914 may post-date the earlier field systems.

3.8.5 Along the southern boundary, a substantial bank (PRN 18901) is the precursor of the existing stone boundary wall.

3.9 Quarries

3.9.1 The main quarry PRN 18893 is located south of the farm track, probably used to gain stone for mine buildings.

3.9.2 A run of shallow linear quarrying (PRN 18926) runs parallel with boundary bank PRN 18932, and may have been for walling material.

4. Recommendations

4.1 The site is a rarely preserved complete mine site dating from the early 19th century. It contains evidence of the sinking of shafts, raising of ore by horse whims and the later bee-hive capping on these shafts, which are unique as 19th-century features in Clwyd and probably in Wales.

4.2 The site contains evidence of reservoir and leat systems and two dressing floors, together with well-defined structures.

4.3 The site includes a rare example of company housing surviving to full height.

4.4 The site is of national importance and as such is recommended for scheduling.
(CPAT Metal Mines Survey - ground survey)

Sources :
Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust , 1993 , Site visit record - PRN104372
Kennedy, A E , 2001 , Tir Gofal Management Plan: Heritage Management Information (HE1). Scotland Farm Trewddyn - NE/06/2065

Events :

Related records
CPAT Historic Environment Record (HER) 104372

Compiled date : 31-07-1985


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 19, 2025, 5:13 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

Comment on this record?       Privacy and cookies