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Cae Sara Lead Mine is a post-medieval and modern lead mine located in Wales, protected as a scheduled monument by Cadw under reference CM283. The mine exploits veins of lead ore hosted within the underlying Wenlock rocks, a sequence of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone formed during the Wenlock epoch of the Silurian period. These fine-grained sedimentary strata provided the geological conditions in which lead mineralisation could develop, making the site one of Wales's mineral workings.
The mine represents the continuation of metal extraction traditions in Wales that intensified from the sixteenth century onwards, as demand for lead increased for plumbing, roofing and ammunition. Post-medieval and modern working would have involved progressively deeper underground excavation following the ore veins, with associated surface infrastructure for processing and waste disposal. The weathered Wenlock bedrock surrounding the site would have posed both opportunities and challenges for miners, as the softer mudstones and siltstones are susceptible to water infiltration and instability.
Today, Cae Sara Lead Mine survives as a testimony to Wales's industrial mineral heritage. The scheduling of the monument recognises its archaeological and historical significance as evidence of the techniques, labour and enterprise involved in extracting valuable resources from the Welsh landscape during the early modern and industrial periods.
Cae Sara Lead Mine is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference CM283. View the official record →
Cae Sara Lead Mine is a post-medieval and modern lead mine located in Wales, protected as a scheduled monument by Cadw under reference CM283.
Cae Sara Lead Mine dates from the post medieval/modern period, and is classified as a lead mine. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Cae Sara Lead Mine is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Cadw — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Wales. The official designation reference is CM283.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Carn y Gigfran (6.2 km), Burnt Mound 500m ESE of Llwyn Wennol (6.5 km), Carnau'r Gareg Las (7.7 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Cae Sara Lead Mine's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Cae Sara Lead Mine stands on Wenlock Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Wenlock. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.