Conservation of Mining Sites in the Gwydyr Forest Area of the Snowdonia National Park

Abstract

The Gwydyr Forest near Llanrwst in the Snowdonia National Park contains a significant number of mining remains in an area of some eight square kilometres. These structures provide examples of a whole range of mining and dressing processes from the use of simple hand dressing techniques to the foundations of an early flotation mill. In the recent past, buildings have been needlessly demolished but this process has been partially arrested in the last five years, helped by the introduction of a land reclamation scheme which, in addition to public safety, takes account of the industrial archaeology of the area. Up to 1989, conservation work had been carried out on only one site, but schemes have also been proposed for two others. The purpose of this paper is to indicate the approaches taken and the factors to be considered before conservation work can be carried out on mining sites.