Vigra (Figra in Welsh) is a mine on the other side of the Bontddu valley from Clogau, which I toured in the previous report.
The mines were often operated together, working the same mineralized veins which run across the valley.
Like Clogau, Vigra started as a copper mine, operating mainly between 1825 and 1845, before switching to gold in the 1860s.
Mining efforts fizzled out after about 1910, although small groups continued to try their luck until after WW1.
Also like Clogau there are a number of holes to explore here (red dots), not all of them marked on maps.
Starting with the remains of a mill down by the stream, this served both mines, the ore being lowered down on inclines.
There’s very little left now, but it was once quite substantial, being reconfigured many times as ownership of the mines changed.
Below is one of several old photos, together with a recent picture taken from about the same location.
Just some walls and base of a machine remain.
The mill was powered by the large wheel seen above, originally installed to process copper ore.
Later a second wheel was added at the far end, with the mill switching to water turbines by the end of the 1800s.
But no old turbines kicking around that I could find, just a modern hydro plant humming away on the opposite bank.
Standing approximately where the wheel was, a lump can be seen up on the left, which is probably the support for the wooden channel over the wheel.
The smaller lump on the right is a water tank near the end of the leat (head race) for the wheel.
The leat runs across the middle of the picture below, with an incline going up the hill behind.
A couple of pictures along the leat, the first showing the tank and the second showing a sluice in the side.
The leat never quite reaches the stream and there’s little sign of a weir - the intake structure may have been quite lightweight, since washed away.
Now for some holes, the first just downstream from the mill, and the longest of several small excavations in this area.
It seems to have started as an opencut where a vein crossed the stream - there’s a shorter version immediately opposite on the Clogau side.
The end.
Another level is marked further upstream opposite the Llechfraith Level(s) of Clogau.
But this one was firmly closed although a mine plan suggests it once extended a significant distance.
In front are the remains of another mill - photos show there was still a building there in the early 2000s.
Going back to the first mill, heading up the incline leads to the remains of a winding station with protruding bolts for the drum mechanism.
Further up past another ruined incline is Jenny’s Level.
This was started, like Eliza’s Level in Clogau, at the behest of Crown mineral agents to drain the higher workings.
The state had a vested interest in these mines since duty was payable on any gold found, one reason why a lot of the gold was probably never declared.
Like Eliza, it didn’t pass through any important mineral deposits and never reached the main workings, going straight in for about 300 yards before stopping in quartz veins.
The pink colouring looks like erythrite, a cobalt arsenate mineral usually associated with nearby valuables such as silver.
continued
The mines were often operated together, working the same mineralized veins which run across the valley.
Like Clogau, Vigra started as a copper mine, operating mainly between 1825 and 1845, before switching to gold in the 1860s.
Mining efforts fizzled out after about 1910, although small groups continued to try their luck until after WW1.
Also like Clogau there are a number of holes to explore here (red dots), not all of them marked on maps.
Starting with the remains of a mill down by the stream, this served both mines, the ore being lowered down on inclines.
There’s very little left now, but it was once quite substantial, being reconfigured many times as ownership of the mines changed.
Below is one of several old photos, together with a recent picture taken from about the same location.
Just some walls and base of a machine remain.
The mill was powered by the large wheel seen above, originally installed to process copper ore.
Later a second wheel was added at the far end, with the mill switching to water turbines by the end of the 1800s.
But no old turbines kicking around that I could find, just a modern hydro plant humming away on the opposite bank.
Standing approximately where the wheel was, a lump can be seen up on the left, which is probably the support for the wooden channel over the wheel.
The smaller lump on the right is a water tank near the end of the leat (head race) for the wheel.
The leat runs across the middle of the picture below, with an incline going up the hill behind.
A couple of pictures along the leat, the first showing the tank and the second showing a sluice in the side.
The leat never quite reaches the stream and there’s little sign of a weir - the intake structure may have been quite lightweight, since washed away.
Now for some holes, the first just downstream from the mill, and the longest of several small excavations in this area.
It seems to have started as an opencut where a vein crossed the stream - there’s a shorter version immediately opposite on the Clogau side.
The end.
Another level is marked further upstream opposite the Llechfraith Level(s) of Clogau.
But this one was firmly closed although a mine plan suggests it once extended a significant distance.
In front are the remains of another mill - photos show there was still a building there in the early 2000s.
Going back to the first mill, heading up the incline leads to the remains of a winding station with protruding bolts for the drum mechanism.
Further up past another ruined incline is Jenny’s Level.
This was started, like Eliza’s Level in Clogau, at the behest of Crown mineral agents to drain the higher workings.
The state had a vested interest in these mines since duty was payable on any gold found, one reason why a lot of the gold was probably never declared.
Like Eliza, it didn’t pass through any important mineral deposits and never reached the main workings, going straight in for about 300 yards before stopping in quartz veins.
The pink colouring looks like erythrite, a cobalt arsenate mineral usually associated with nearby valuables such as silver.
continued
