The panoramic and lonely site of George Green’s New Cross-cut, on the slopes of Esgair Neint.
New Discoveries at West Nantycreiau Mine, Ceredigion by Ioan Lord
West Nantycreiau is a small metal mine situated on the flanks of a high mountain called Dihewyd, in the Myherin valley east of Devil’s Bridge, Ceredigion. Opened as a trial on the Nantycreiau Lode, ½ mile west of the large Nantycreiau silver-lead mine, no ore was officially recorded from West Nantycreiau although its output could have been combined with that of its neighbour. It had a relatively short working life spanning twenty-six years between 1869 until 1895, and its little-known history, as well as new access to underground workings which have been inaccessible for longer than living memory, will be the focus of this study. The West Nantycreiau sett was formed in January 1869, and let by the Crown to Captain James Lester from Blithfield, Staffordshire. Lester was currently living with his family in the Gogerddan Arms, Ponterwyd, and was chief agent of several mines around Ponterwyd and Goginan. The new mine Page 22
Location map of West Nantycreiau Mine, Ceredigion at West Nantycreiau was first developed through an adit called the Long Cross-cut, extended due north from the Myherin river ¼ mile north-east of Nant Syddion house, with the intention of cutting the well-known Nantycreiau Lode (portal at SN77697922). This adit has been previously associated by historians with the neighbouring Nant Syddion Mine to the west, but contemporary reports indicate that thisPhoto: was in fact Captain Lawley’s at break of day. Hannes Paling
