Minera History.com - Bwlchgwyn Ancestry - Coedpoeth Ancestry
'Back on-line' - The 'Premier' websites for local ancestral research.
Our group of website's have been set up to highlight the history and past inhabitants of an area which includes the villages Minera, Gwynfryn, Coedpoeth and Bwlchgwyn. It is hoped the site can become an ideal 'favourite' for family historians whose roots are embedded in the area, or those whose ancestors simply passed through and lived briefly in an area which was once an industrious hive of activity.
Minera History.Com has its own message board... Please take a moment to undertake the initial registration prior to submitting your first message.
The messageboard has been set up as a resource for anyone who wishes to share information on their respective ancestors, ask for or pass on advice on the area, share family stories and memories or indeed one can even submit an article for the site. For instance...- What was life like in the local villages in the 19th and early 20th century?
- Where your ancestors employed locally in the mines or quarries?
- What about the many public houses, chapels and shops of the area that have long vanished?
- What about the Great Western Railway that served our communities?
- What was life like in the War Years?
Minera Parish Records - online - Thanks to our dedicated members we are able to provide an additional resource online link for the parish records of Minera.
Become Involved... As it is said, pictures speak a thousand words - If anyone would like to e-mail a pic for use within the site it would be much appreciated, and in turn an acknowledgement will also be provided. Please contact admin@minerahistory.com
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An aeriel view of Pentre Bais (Gwynfryn), Minera. (E.Evans, Coedpoeth)
MINERA (Minerva/Mwynglawdd); Extensive mining for metalliferous ores, mainly lead and zinc, has taken place south and west of Minera, however the extent of many of the workings is not known, although there are some 200 known shafts and adits. Minera and its vacinity, was one of the three main lead producing areas of north east Wales. Medieval mining at Minera is known from documentary evidence and a Roman presence cannot be ruled out. Major extraction started in the mid 18th century linked to the development of improved pumping technologies and over 50,000 tons of ore were raised to the surface in 1810 alone. Between 1845 and 1938 north east Wales as a whole produced some 13% of total British lead output and 27% of zinc.
Decline set in just prior to World War 1 due to cheap imports, with the Minera Company folding in 1914. Most of the production of lead ore galena took place between 1855 and 1880. Silver extracted from the galena was a valuable by-product. Remains from the mining industry include a number of engine houses , the City (or Meadows) Engine House being the best preserved, and related pit head structures , such as horse gin circles, spoil heaps, and processing plants. Some probably late medieval mining remains have also been suggested at the western end of the Minera complex with water hushing channels being noted. In addition a number of shallow shafts are known in the more upland areas above the Clywedog valley with associated spoil heaps.
Taylors Engine House.
The Zinc Ore sphalerite was not mined in appreciable quantities until 1865, most production took place between 1880 and 1895, with mining effectively ceasing by 1920. Hardrock extraction in the area has not taken place since 1993 when Minera Quarry ceased operating. Minera has also played an important role in terms of limestone extraction and lime manufacture. A Hoffman kiln dating to 1868 still survives at Minera Quarry as do a number of other industrial scale kilns.
©Ordnance Survey 1949