CPAT Regional Historic Environment Record
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Twelve Apostles Mine

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 18210
Trust : Clwyd Powys
Community : Minera
Unitary authority : Wrexham
NGR : SJ25155270
Site Type (preferred type first) : POST MEDIEVAL LEAD MINE / POST MEDIEVAL SILVER MINE

Description :
Lead/Silver (1863-1884)

Geology
Carbonifarous Limestone.

Workings
Twelve Apostles was one of the smaller mines working in the north-western area of Minera. Brunton Symons Map of 1865 appears to put Apostles Shaft at SJ25335261, and the sett covers the stonework remains of a rectangular building at SJ25225265 and the adjacent shafts .

To large shafts remain to the north of the rectangular building at SJ25125267 and SJ25285264.

The 19th Century returns reference implies that the mine worked in the vicinity of the two large shafts the are distinguishable at SJ25095253 and SJ25135249, being the old shafts shown on the 1871 1st edition OS map.

Transport
No evidence.

Power
The leat that runs in from Steddfod Pool contours the perimeter of the sett.

Processing
No evidence.

Other features
The stonework foundations remains of a large rectangular building which appears to be divided into at least four small rooms are located at SJ25225265.

The earthwork remains of a rectangular building to the west of Eisteddfod Engine House are located at SJ25305260.
(CPAT Metal Mines Survey)

1. Location

1.1 Twelve Apostles lies on the northern edge of Eisteddfod, north-west of Eisteddfod Mine (PRN 104270) and east of the Ragman Sett as defined in 1865. The main mine sett is defined by substantial boundary banks (PRNs 18766, 18780, 18870-1).

2. Geology

2.1 Solid geology - Carboniferous Limestone, which outcrops south-west of the workings. Mineralisation on the veins that appear to be north-west strings off the Minera Main Vein, named as Union, Crych, Sand, Llewellyn and an extension of the Ragman Vein, included galena with a small silver content and gangue calcite.

3. The Survey

3.1 The survey records the area worked by twelve mine adventurers known as the Twelve Apostles Company operating 1863-84, and subsequently by the Minera Union Company (1858-88).

3.2 Workings

3.2.1 Smith (1921, 108) suggests that shafts in the area lie on north-west strings off the Main Vein, named as Union, Crych, Sand, Llewellyn and an extension of the Ragman Vein, based on the information obtained from an 1865 map by mining engineer Brenton Symons. The direction of the veins are not easily traced, particularly to the south of the mine buildings (PRN 18788), where the earliest workings on the sett are located.

3.2.2 The early workings (PRN 18790) form an intense area of open-cuts, shallow trials and spoil tips. Several horseshoe-shaped earthworks are visible resembling the remains of ore-bins. The workings certainly pre-date the 19th-century Twelve Apostles mineshafts.

3.2.3 Several shafts together with small trials are located on the sett. An 1863 plan by Isaac Shone shows the cottages (PRN 18745) and land bounded on the north-eastern side by leat PRN 18744 and roughly north of boundary bank PRN 18670 as Twelve Apostles Mine sett (PRN 18210); the area to the east is shown as Central Minera Mine. Brenton Symons records the Ragman sett (PRN 104267) working to the west of Twelve Apostles; the shafts beyond the western boundary bank PRN 18780, such as PRN 18792, presumably fall into the Ragman sett. Mining returns for lead and silver were made from 1872-1882 for Minera Consols and it is suggested that the company worked in conjunction with Twelve Apostles in the period 1883-4; two underground and four surface workers were recorded for 1883 and only four employed underground in 1884.

3.2.4 The Twelve Apostles Whim Shaft PRN 18769 is fenced off and the earthwork remains of the horse whim circle (PRN 18770), c.11.5m diameter, lie to the south-west. The shaft is recorded as "Apostles Shaft", the main shaft for Twelve Apostles by Brenton Symons. Sunk to 30 fathoms, it is recorded as a whim shaft on the undated mine plan for Minera Union sett (DD/WN/311). It appears as one of only two shafts on the sett recorded by the 1st edition OS in 1872 (D.XXVII.4).

3.2.5 Two large shafts and spoil tips lie north of the main mine buildings (PRN 18788). The ladder pit (PRN 12019), providing access for miners, is recorded on the undated mine plans (DD/WN/310-311) together with shafts PRN 18797 and 12020 and the small trial PRN 18799 to the east. A further shaft and spoil tip (PRN 18798) is located north-east of the ladder pit shafts with considerable spoil between them.

3.2.6 West of these shafts a stone-lined shaft (PRN 18781) is located alongside path PRN 18762.

3.2.7 Two substantial shafts lie at the eastern end of the sett. Shaft PRN 18771 is located near the south-east boundary (PRN 18766) and the second shaft (PRN 18800) to the west. Significant areas of collapse lie upslope and south-west of shaft PRN 18800, suggesting a collapsed level (PRN 12100).

3.2.8 North of the survey area are two shafts named Eddy's Shaft (PRN 18802) and Western Shaft (PRN 18803); both are recorded on the undated mine plans (DD/WN/310-311) and were presumably worked by Eisteddfod Mine on the Crych Vein.

3.3 Processing

3.3.1 The dressing floors are located at the eastern end of the sett. The area is now grassed-over and only the buildings can be identified amongst a succession of spoil tips, mostly consisting of jig tailings. Two buildings were recorded in this area by the OS in 1872 and on the undated mine plans. An L-shaped building (PRN 18793) can be identified with stone walling surviving to a height of 0.8m where it is cut into a spoil tip, and a partitioned earthwork platform (PRN 18794) adjoining to the east.

3.3.2 To the east, the stone walls of a building (PRN 18795), c.5.5 x 4.5m, are located immediately north-east of the shaft PRN 18771. The buildings were presumably processing sheds.

3.4 Water Sources

3.4.1 A series of leats lead into the area, most of which are unlikely to be associated with the workings at Twelve Apostles. Leat PRN 18744 runs along the northern perimeter of the mine sett, although its present structure is likely to post-date the mine workings in this area.

3.4.2 Two leats lead into the area from the west, of which PRN 18774 may be the earlier, possibly associated with the substantial bank (PRN 18791), c.7m wide and up to 0.75m high, which is presumed to have formed a reservoir. A possible earlier reservoir (PRN 18804) lies partly below the bank. Leat PRN 18775 clearly cuts the bank and the western boundary bank (PRN 18780) of the mine sett. The course of both leats is lost on entering the main mine workings, although two leats, PRNs 18767 and 18773, can be traced leaving the sett to the south-east, which suggests that these systems were not directly associated with Twelve Apostles.

3.4.3 The source of water for the dressing floors is no longer clear, although a series of leats and reservoirs can be closely identified within the processing area. The shallow banks of a silted reservoir (PRN 18782) can be identified with three sections of leats (PRNs 18777-9) leading to the east. A further leat, PRN 18776, evidently brought water from another source, now lost.

3.5 Buildings

3.5.1 The substantial stone walls of a range of buildings (PRN 18788) that probably consist of a mine office/mine manager's house and stores survive up to 1.3m high. The rectangular buildings measure c.20m x 4.5m overall and form a run of four or five rooms, with an additional open-ended building, probably a store, adjoining the north-west corner (see Plate 4).

3.5.2 A three-roomed open-sided building of dry stone construction (PRN 18789), lies north-east of the main buildings. The structure is c.5.5 x 4.2m overall and may have been a store.

3.6 Tracks

3.6.1 The main access to the dressing floors appears to be from track PRN 18743, from Eisteddfod Mine.

3.6.2 A track PRN 18762 leads from the Eisteddfod Cottages to the mine office complex at Twelve Apostles (PRN 18788). The same track continues westwards through the boundary bank (PRN 18780).

3.6.3 A path (PRN 18874) leads from the mine office buildings to the whim circle.

3.6.4 A N-S track (PRN 18768) runs parallel to the leat PRN 18733 passing east of the area of old workings (PRN 18790).

3.6.5 Path PRN 18796 leads from the Twelve Apostles sett towards Gibson's Shaft (PRN 18751), running parallel to the leat PRN 18767.

3.7 Boundaries

3.7.1 Three field boundaries (PRNs 18869, 18766 and 18780) appear to enclose the Twelve Apostles sett. An inner boundary PRN 18670 separates the Quarry PRN 18868 from the mineral workings.

4. Recommendations

4.1 The sett contains an area of unique pre-19th century workings.

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

(CPAT Metal Mines Survey - ground survey)

Sources :
Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust , 1993 , Site visit record - PRN18210
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) 18044

Compiled date : 07-01-1995


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.

June 16, 2025, 6:52 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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