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Dalrhiw Lead Mine is a post-medieval and modern lead mine located in Wales, protected by Cadw as a scheduled monument under reference BR231. The mine exploited lead ore deposits within the Ashgill Rocks, a sequence of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone laid down during the Ashgill period of the Ordovician. These fine-grained sedimentary rocks, which underlie the site, provided the geological setting for mineralisation that attracted mining activity from the post-medieval period onwards.
Lead mining in Wales intensified from the sixteenth century, driven by growing demand for the metal in construction, plumbing and industrial processes. Dalrhiw represents one of many such operations that developed across the Welsh uplands where suitable ore bodies occurred within accessible strata. The mine's development and working methods reflect the technical capabilities and commercial pressures of its era.
Today the site survives as evidence of Wales's industrial heritage and the geological knowledge—both practical and empirical—that guided miners to economic mineral deposits. The visible remains document the post-medieval and modern exploitation of the landscape, whilst the underlying Ashgill rocks continue to expose the deep time of the Ordovician period, connecting the site's industrial history to the ancient geological processes that created its resources.
Dalrhiw Lead Mine is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference BR231. View the official record →
Dalrhiw Lead Mine is a post-medieval and modern lead mine located in Wales, protected by Cadw as a scheduled monument under reference BR231.
Dalrhiw 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.
Dalrhiw 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 BR231.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Gorllwyn round cairns (3.7 km), Gurnos ring cairn (4.8 km), Darren round cairn (5 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Dalrhiw 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.
Dalrhiw Lead Mine stands on Ashgill Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Ashgill. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.