Spirit of the miners

The modern county of Ceredigion is not immediately associated with mining. As you travel towards Aberystwyth on the coast, following the inland valleys of the Ystwyth, Rheidol and the Mynach rivers in the northern part of the county, you could be mistaken in thinking that the economy of Ceredigion - formerly known as Cardiganshire - had always been dependent on agriculture.

As you journey through the hills, take a closer look at the changing landscape and a different story unfolds. Driving from one rural settlement to another, the ancient landscape hides many stories, traditions and intrigues of the years gone by.

Mining for metals such as copper, lead, zinc and silver has been an important part of the economy of the county for nearly 4,000 years.

The scattering of small communities such as Ponterwyd, Pontrhydfendigaid, Ffair Rhos, Cwmystwyth, Ysbyty Ystwyth, Goginan, Ystumtuen, Pontrhydygroes, Cwmsymlog, Taliesin and Talybont often have nothing seemingly in common.

However they do have one theme linking them all - the history and legacy of metal mining.

This information forms part of the website 'Spirit of the Miners' - a community regeneration project that sets out to create an identity for northern Ceredigion using the legacy of metal mining as a theme for regeneration.