 | | Llwybr Llawrcwm |
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There are many old lead mines in the Bont-goch area. Some of the oldest workings are found to the east at Hafan mine, originally known as the Caninog mine, developed about 1620 by Sir Hugh Myddleton. During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Llanerch-clwydau mine was worked, close to Bont-goch. The Cefngwyn mine, north of the village was working by the mid-18th century.
 | | Bwlchglas remains |
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The heyday of mining in the district came during the mid-19th century. The mines at Mynydd Gorddu, Moelgolomen, Tynewydd, Llawr-cwm-bach, Bwlchystyllen and Bwlchglas all date to this period. Bwlchglas was one of the more successful of these, and one of the last mines to work in the area, closing in 1921. Over 1,200 tons of lead ore were raised there between 1909 and 1916.
Many of the old cottages that can be seen in and around the village were once the homes of lead miners and their families, who came to the area during the mid-19th century to find work.
 | | Lewis Gilbertson |
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The growth in population led to the building of the village school in 1856 and St Peter's church in 1868. These were paid for by the Rev. Lewis Gilbertson of Plas Cefngwyn, Bont-goch. He was the Vice-Principal of Jesus College, Oxford and a prominent clergyman who sought to look after the spiritual needs of the miners and their families.
The success of the lead mines helped other local trades and businesses flourish. Even in the early 20th century, the village cobbler would carry a selection of boots to the mine at nearby Cwmsymlog to sell to the miners there. Around the same period the village shop in Bont-goch baked fresh bread daily for the miners of Bwlchglas.
 | | Llawrcwmbach share |
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 | | Bwlchglas Lead Mine |
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 | | Vaughan Mine 1909 |
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 | | Wheelpit |
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 | | Bont-goch in 1846 |
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The display panel in Bontgoch - you can read the text on the panel above
Read more about the project background and its work in: Talybont,
Furnace,
Taliesin,
Tre'r Ddôl or listen to the audio files.
