Roman Mining Operations on the Borders of Wales. 303 



was believed to be the dwelling of the fairies, and had obtained 

 the popular name of the Ogo-Gwyddsyg, or Witch's Cave.f 

 Machynlleth itself has been supposed by antiquaries to stand 

 on the site of a Roman town, but about two miles from it, at a 

 place called Cefn Caer, on the ridge of the city, are the un- 

 doubted remains of an extensive Roman settlement. In the 

 neighbourhood of Llanrhaiadyr, on the borders of Montgomery- 

 shire and Denbighshire, the Romans appear also to have had 

 extensive mines, and at no great distance from this place pro- 

 bably stood the Roman station of Mediolanum, on the great 

 Roman road from Uriconium (Wroxeter), which passed hence 

 over the mountains of North Wales to Segontium, near the 

 modern town of Caernarvon. 



To the east of the Stiperstones copper is found, but not in 

 such quantity as to pay for the labour of mining, as far as it has 

 yet been discovered. I am informed by Mr. More that the little 

 stream, which enters his park under Radley Hill, which is 

 marked in the Ordinance Survey map as the Black Brook, and 

 which runs southwardly at the eastern foot of the Stiperstones, 

 divides the lead district from the copper. The hill in Linley 

 Park, opposite Radley Hill, certainly contains copper ; and there 

 are traces of copper over the whole district between Minsterley 

 and the Stiperstones on one side, and the Long-Mynd on the 

 other. Copper has also been found, though in no great quan- 

 tity, in Lythe Hill, facing the entrance to the Church Stretton 

 Valley. Hence the copper district turns northwardly. To the 

 north of Shrewsbury we meet a flat country with a broken line 

 of eminences, represented by Grinshill and the Hawkstone 

 hills, which all contain copper. My friend Mr. Samuel Wood in- 

 forms me that there are traces of mines which had been worked 



t The following paragraph appeared in the Shreiosbury Journal, May 14, 

 1856 : — " Og-ogwyddsyg-, ob the Witch's Cave. — In the park near to the town 

 of Machynlleth is a deep pit, known by the above name, attached to which are 

 many legends of ghosts, hobgoblins, and fairies ; and occasionally pranks have 

 been played off on old crones and timid maidens as they passed at night, so that 

 the road has been shunned as haunted. The scene has, however changed in one 

 short week ; and however it might be shunned after nightfall, it is the great 

 attraction of the neighbourhood by day. An active miner, Morris Williams, con- 

 ceiving this to be an old Boman mine, applied for a take-note to Sir Watkin W. 

 Wynn, which being promised, he commenced, with the aid of Mr. Weston, a 

 gentleman residing in the town. As the water was reduced they came to some 

 woodwork, and an old shaft was soon developed, which was dried, and at the 

 bottom was discovered a second shaft about eighteen feet deep, also timbered ; but 

 owing to the obstructions and danger attending the getting the water out of it, it 

 was resolved to drive a level upon it. This is now hi progress upon the course of 

 a fine lode, from which there have already been taken some fine stones, rich in 

 silver and copper. At the foot of the work flows the little stream called Nant-yr- 

 Arian, or the Silver Biver, a name, doubtless, arising from the knowledge, in days of 

 old, of the precious metal through which it flowed, though, till now, its origin has 

 been long unknown. The quiet town of Machynlleth has been roused into a state 

 of unusual excitement by this unexpected discovery." 



