Lletty’r Wialch

Alternative names Lletty see below
Llechwedd Du? see Harlech
Lletty’r fwyalch
Llety Tywalch? [Ruston 2000]
Twll Mango?
LocationSH604333
ParishTalsarnau
Owners
1872–1875  Edward Jones
1920–1922Cambrian Manganese Co. agent Thomas O Williams
Production and Employment

(tons)		Manpower
underground surface
19201
1921suspended
1922suspended 1920
Total512 
Transport RemainsAdit, substantial open stope and waste tips. Access requires permission – enquire at cottage at the end of the track from the gate-lodge. The tenant is friendly and is interested in the history of the workings [Ruston 2000].

Sulphur/manganese mine [GAT SMR: 20645]

Lletty appears as an Iron Pyrytes mine in the HM Inspector of Metalliferous Mines reports 1872–1875. The address of the mine is given variously as “Harlech”, “Llanfihangel-y-traethau” and “Talsarnau” which suggests that it is Lletty’r Wialch rather than Lletty Walter. No specific figures are given for the output of this mine, but this was the only iron pyrytes mine listed for Merioneth and the total output of iron pyrytes for Merioneth was given as 955 tons, some of which presumably all came from this mine.

photo: adit
Photograph © John Ruston 2000		   Adit

It is reported that this gives access to the open stope in the garden behind the cottage.

There is usually a flow of iron stained water from the adit even after periods of dry weather.

[Ruston 2000]

photo: stope 1
Photograph © John Ruston 2000
 
photo: stope 2
Photograph © John Ruston 2000
 
photo: stope 3
Photograph © John Ruston 2000		   Open stope

approximately twenty feet deep and wet. Tunnels can be seen leading away from it. The stope has evidently used in the past as a domestic rubbish dump but this is now prohibited by the land owner.

Small tailings dumps 4.5 m wide x 15 m long run away from the cut. Low stone walls suggestive of a loading bank or perhaps a temporary building are still visible a little to the east of the open-cut.

The tenant of Llety reports evidence of a blocked access in the field uphill of this feature.

Elderly locals recall that this heavily wooded area was devoid of trees in the 1920s.

[Ruston 2000]

photo: Test borings
Photograph © John Ruston 2000
   Test borings in boulder

Shallow holes made by miners testing resharpened bits.

Similar holes can be seen at many of the mines in the area, usually around the forge. Local practice was for mine operators to charge their men for materials and for the blacksmith’s services [Ruston 2000].