Welsh Journals

THE CWMSYMLOG LEAD MINE IT is almost certain that lead was mined in Cwmsymlog long before the sixteenth century, but the first concrete evidence that we have of its existence is its inclusion in the mineral grant made by Queen Elizabeth to the newly-formed Mines Royal Society in 1568.1 Nothing definite is known of the mine itself until 1587 when a Charles Evans, who was sent to superintend operations in Cardiganshire, reported on the state of the workings. On his arrival he found the mines so wett, so windie and so ruynous that no workman was able to contynue at his worke three howrse in the Daie for the Abundance of Water that sett upon them ffor the great winde that wasted their Leight. And nor the ymynent Dannger of Lowse Rockes neare the workes that were readie to fall upon them. And they had upon others befoer.' Having a poor opinion of the available skilled men he en- listed the services of two Dutchmen, Mathias Shillymstener — a conn- inge workmane', and Mathias Ryley. With the help of these men he cut a trench of twenty fathoms to drain the mine, drove two new levels and a drift, and sank a new shaft to carry air one hundred fathoms into the workings. His other improvements are described in his report which reads — At Comsamlocke there hath bin made a newe Smythes Shoppe, the dwellinge howses are there repaired and Lodginge procured to Lodge sixteene personnes.' During the year preceding thegth August 1587, twenty tons of ore were raised though the purpose of the operations at that time was preparing for the main body of miners. He anticipated being able to employ forty men by Easter 1588 and to produce eight tons of ore a week. He also effected a number of improvements in the nearby smelting works, reducing the amount of wood needed to melt a ton of ore to one-fifth of the previous quantity. In addition he greatly increased the yield of charcoal and by his economies cut the cost of smelting the ore from £ 5 to 30s. per charge. The above description suggests that the work was previously in the form of an opencast but this does not mean that the local men knew nothing about levels. He claims to have reduced the cost of cutting a drift from £ 24 to L4 10s. so that there must have been levels of some kind before his time. Although Evans did so much at Cwmsymlog, it is his employer, Customer Smith, who farmed the mine from the Mines Society, who is credited with the discovery of the rich silver vein at Cwmsymlog.8 This may have been in 1590 for in that year there was a marked increase in the amount of Welsh silver received at the Mint in London, while in 1604 3,000 ounces of Welsh silver bullion were minted at one time in the Mint.4