Temple Mine, Ystumtuen, Cwmrheidol, Ceredigion, Wales, UKi

Regional Level Types
Temple Mine	Mine (Abandoned)
Ystumtuen	- not defined -
Cwmrheidol	- not defined -
Ceredigion	County
Wales	Country
UK	Country

Lead Mine
Approaching up the river from the foot bridge at the south the footpath meets the end of the leat coming downstream (though this is marked as a tramway on the 1887 Ordnace Survey map). Immediately to the right a large 'bench' has been cut into the river bank and there is a wheel pit directly below the end of the leat. There are ruins of several other buildings and the site is covered in small gravel which is almost entirely barren of minerals. This was presumably the site of dressing floors with all waste dumped directly into the river.

Following the leat around the hillside past a small quarry, the gate to the 'middle' level is on the left. The lode strikes directly up the hillside with additional levels below and above. This level has a low roof and shallow water though the extent cannot be made out.

The 'lower' level is cut in beside the bulk of another wheel pit. 2 pieces of hawser stand beside the gate and the broken and rotted remains of a ladder can be seen through the gate. The level drops steeply for about 5m and then appears deeply flooded.

The wheelpit has clearly been built in 2 stages; initially the wheelpit and later a further structure added upstream, possibly a crushing mill.

Following the leat a tip of large blocks of rubble runs up the hillside and a flooded shaft is to the river side of the footpath. The level of the water is considerably above the river suggesting either the shaft is not deep or if deep that no drainage adit was cut. That of course may have been to prevent water backing up a drainage adit and flooding the shaft when the river was in spate.

At the top of the tip a track cuts south-west along the hillside leading back to the 'top' level. Top level is perhaps 10m above middle which is 5m above lower at the portals. The level is gated, but appears to have the largest access.

The tip is almost entirely without mineralisation though thumbnail size pieces of quartz and galena can be seen. There is a further tip of material at the entrance to lower adit but this is apparently without metal minerals.

The leat continues on along the river bank to a point at which the 1887 OS map indicates an aqueduct to carry the water over a stream that cuts steeply down the valley side. Beyond this the leat can be followed a considerable distance but it appears to end quite abruptly high above the river. In places the path along the bed of the leat has on one side a 15m vertical drop into the river and very little footpath. January, 2021.

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