At Esgair Hir lead mine there are the remains of 27 buildings (including an engine house), 5 full reservoirs and one empty one, railway embankment, several miles of leats, and 32 shafts; the mine was probably in use in Roman times.

Esgair Hir and Esgairfraith (NPRN 33837) are two lead mines to the north of Nant-y-Moch reservoir that were worked by the landowner Sir Carberry Pryse from 1689. There were several shafts including one for copper. A shaft on the northern slopes was pumped by a half-mile long run of flat-rods. The mines went into liquidation in 1882.

The Ordnance Survey County Series map for Cardiganshire, dated 1887, (sheet number IV, 3) shows the mines named as Cambrian Lead Works (Esgair Hir) and Cambrian Copper Works (Esgair Fraith). In 1984 the site was recorded as still having a standing engine house (NPRN 33839) with wheel pits, dressing floors and tramroad embankments.

Claire Parry, RCAHMW, 3 June 2011.

SOURCE: Association for Industrial Archaeology: A Guide to the Industrial Archaeology of Mid-Wales, 1984