298 Roman Mining Operations on the Borders of Wales. 



underground, and that they could easily descend them with 

 lanterns, and generally found clear water at the bottom. The 

 ore is of fibrous appearance, and so rich in metal that it often 

 looks like malleable iron, and pieces of it are picked up plen- 

 tifully about the Roman mines. That they are Roman we can 

 have little doubt, from the frequent discoveries of Roman coins 

 and pottery in and about the scowles. 



Space will not allow of any detailed description of the scorias 

 which are found in such marvellous quantities over this district, 

 but which, nevertheless, present many circumstances worthy of 

 remark. There can be no doubt that wood was used in the smelt- 

 ing, as pieces of charcoal are often found imbedded in the 

 cinders. The Roman process of smelting was evidently very 

 imperfect, for they still contain so much ore, that in the seven- 

 teenth and eighteenth centuries they were carried away and 

 re-smelted on an extensive scale, and large quantities of iron 

 were thus obtained.* 



This incredible quantity of the scorias shows the immense 

 activity of the iron mines in this district during, no doubt, the 

 whole Roman period. They are traced also, I believe, in some 

 parts of Monmouthshire, but its neighbour Radnorshire is not 

 a mining district, and we find no further traces of the eagerness 

 of the Romans to profit by the existence of metallic treasures till 

 we reach the lead and copper fields of Salop and Montgomery. 



The most important group of the Shropshire lead-producing' 

 mountains is that of the Stiperstones and its dependents, es- 

 pecially that which is known as Shelve Hill. My head-quarters 

 for exploring this district have always been at the hospitable man- 

 sion of an esteemed friend, the Rev. T. F. More of Linley Hall, 

 one of the most lovely spots in this island. Mr. More takes in his 

 mining property all the interest of an antiquary and of a man of 

 science. The park of Linley runs from the hall, first northward, 

 and then bending round to the west, along a narrow and 

 beautifully picturesque valley, between ranges of mountains, 

 a distance of about three miles, at the end of which we enter 

 the high road from Newtown and Bishop's Castle to Minsterley. 

 Two miles along this road, towards the latter place, brings us to 

 a long mountain, extending nearly north and south, and parallel 

 to the Stiperstones, at a distance of some two miles to the west, 

 which is called, from the name of the parish in which it is 

 situated. Shelve Hill. This hill, the property of Mr. More, 

 is full of lead ore, which runs in almost horizontal veins from 

 east to west, turning a little towards the north-west, and when 



* A more full account of the Eoman ironworks in the Forest of Dean, and 

 also of those of the weald of Kent and Sussex, will be found in a little volume by 

 the author of the present paper, entitled Wanderings of an Antiquary, published 

 in 1854. 



