Great Darren Mine

Overview

A silver-lead and copper mine on Banc y Darren, east of Aberystwyth, with a kilometre of opencast workings perhaps begun in prehistory; leased to Sir Hugh Myddelton in 1617, it was revived many times and finally closed around 1890.

History

Great Darren Mine, five and three-quarter miles east of Aberystwyth near Pen-bont Rhydybeddau, worked the Darren Lode, a silver-rich lead vein that also carried copper, running south-west to north-east across Darren Hill through Silurian and Ordovician grits, shales and mudstones for over a mile. Its opencast workings stretch for a kilometre, among the best examples of such excavations in Wales, with ore slides and a tramway. Survey and excavation beside Darren Camp hillfort, where galena has been found in the ramparts and stone hammers along the mine, support a prehistoric start.

Like other mines in the district, Darren was leased by the Society of Mines Royal from 1583 but left unworked until it and Cwmsymlog were leased to Sir Hugh Myddelton in 1617. His agent and successor, Thomas Bushell, drove an adit that cut the cost of pumping, before the Civil War forced him to flee. In the first half of the eighteenth century George's Shaft found rich ore below Bushell's Level; George Jones reopened the mine in 1731, Lewis Morris surveyed it in 1742, and about 1747 a Mr Moore began the Great Whimsey Shaft to reach the deep ore and drain the works, while disputes over small setts prevented systematic working.

John Taylor leased Darren and Cwmsymlog in 1838 but judged by 1844 that Darren warranted no more investment. From 1848 the mining agents Matthew and Absalom Francis developed the north side of the hill for Phillip Oliver, reworking old spoil for copper as well as lead, and in 1853 George Batters and Company bought the lease, uniting the Darren, Cwm Darren and Cwmsebon setts; Francis's Shaft found an orebody to 25 fathoms below Oliver's Adit, but Batters gave up in 1858. Companies floated by Thomas Spargo followed amid claims of reckless and fraudulent practice, and the mine was not worked seriously after 1868, though it is recorded as finally closing in 1890.

Geology

The Darren Lode, a south-west to north-east silver-lead vein with copper, in Silurian and Ordovician grits, shales and mudstones.

Workings

About a kilometre of opencast workings along the lode, Bushell's adit and level, George's, Great Whimsey and Francis's shafts, Oliver's Adit, ore slides and a tramway.

Closure

Not worked seriously after 1868; finally closed in 1890.

What remains

The opencast workings, ore slides and a tramway survive beside Darren Camp hillfort.

A kilometre of opencast workings, ore slides and a tramway.

Redevelopment

Unknown.

Related mines

• Cwmsymlog Mine — Neighbouring silver-lead mines (Cwmsymlog was also called East Darren), leased together to Myddelton in 1617 and to John Taylor in 1838.
• Gwaith Yr Afon Mine — Gwaith yr Afon worked minor veins on the Darren-Cwmsymlog fault system, where the Darren Main Vein ends.

People

• Sir Hugh Myddelton (d. 1631) · lessee, 1617–1631 — via the operator record

What's uncertain

Points where sources disagree or the record could not be settled; both accounts are kept. All open questions in the archive.

• Darren and Cwmsymlog were leased to Sir Hugh Myddelton in 1617. (disputed) ²
• The first recorded lessee was Sir Hugh Myddelton in c.1618, followed by Thomas Bushel in 1659. (disputed) ¹
• The mine was never worked seriously again after 1868. (disputed) ²
• Revived under a number of owners until its final closure in 1890. (disputed) ¹

Recorded claims

Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.

• The opencast workings extend for one kilometre, with ore slides and a tramway, among the best such excavations in Wales. ¹
• Survey and excavation beside Darren Camp hillfort, with galena in its ramparts and stone hammers along the mine, support a prehistoric phase. ¹
• Darren and Cwmsymlog were leased to Sir Hugh Myddelton in 1617. (disputed) ²
• The first recorded lessee was Sir Hugh Myddelton in c.1618, followed by Thomas Bushel in 1659. (disputed) ¹
• Thomas Bushell drove an adit at Darren which significantly reduced pumping costs. ²
• In 1853 George Batters and Co. consolidated the setts of Darren, Cwmdarren and Cwmsebon, and gave up in 1858. ^2,3
• The mine was never worked seriously again after 1868. (disputed) ²
• Revived under a number of owners until its final closure in 1890. (disputed) ¹

Sources

1. (secondary) Great Daren Mine; Darren Lead Mine; Banc y Darren (NPRN 33835) — Coflein (RCAHMW)
2. (secondary) The Darren Mines (incl. Cwmsymlog or East Darren Mine) — Northern Mine Research Society
3. (secondary) Cwm-y-Darren and Twll-y-Mwyn Copper Mines; Cwm Darren (NPRN 33826) — Coflein (RCAHMW)

Record created: 17 October 2026 · Last researched: 17 October 2026