Roman Mining Operations on the Borders of Wales. 301 



to give force to the movement of the hand ; and the implement 

 itself was no doubt designed for shovelling the broken stones 

 containing the lead ore in narrow passages where there was 

 not space for giving much movement to the body. The dimen- 

 sions of the two spades here represented are nearly 8| inches 

 by 16, and 8i by 11. It is worthy of remark that similar 

 spades have been frequently found in other parts of our island 

 in the remains of mines which no one doubts to be Eoman ; and 

 these confirm us in believing them to be of the Roman period. 

 They furnish a remarkable proof of the great durability of sound 

 oak. 



No traces of the washing and smelting places attached to these 

 Roman mines have yet been met with ; but they are accompanied 



11 inches by 8^. 16 inches by 8j. 



OAK SPADES POUND IN EOMAN MINES. 



by other monuments of a very important description. The 

 remains of a very extensive Roman villa have been discovered, 

 occupying the southern part of the park at Linley and part of 

 the adjacent fields, and standing in a very commanding position. 

 This great mansion, which covered the space of a small town, 

 had no doubt some connection with the mining works in the 

 mountains above. Again, to the north of Shelve, at the ex- 

 tremity of the Stiperstones, and in the parish of Minsterley, is 

 the Snailbeach mine, one of the most productive lead-mines in 

 this kingdom. It also had been extensively worked by the 

 Romans; and the miners, I believe, still speak of the upper 

 part of it as the Roman level. Two or three miles distant, 

 in the fertile country below, the remains of a fine Roman villa 

 have also been found in the parish of Pontesbury. 



Westward of the Stiperstones mountains, and through the 

 county of Montgomery, copper and lead are found in abund- 

 ance, and we trace everywhere the presence of the Roman 

 miners. Roman mines have been found in Newtown Park, and 

 were re-opened a few years ago. They were found productive 

 in copper and ' ' silver lead m " to explain which, it may be stated 



