GeoArch: The Miskin Project

The Miskin Project

The Miskin Project aims to investigate the exploitation of the mineral resources of the area around Miskin (Rhondda, Cynon, Taff), in an area broadly between Llantrisant and M4 Motorway. This area has rich natural resources, including coal, lead ores and (of greatest importance for this project) iron ores.

The fieldwork components of the project so far are:

Caerau: Iron Age Hillfort with iron smelting,

geophysical surveys, 2005

School Road: Roman iron smelting site,

excavation and geophysical survey 1997

Caergwanaf: Roman fort and iron smelting settlement,

geophysical survey, 2000

excavation, 2002

geophysical surveys, 2003

geophysical surveys, 2004

excavation, 2004

Clun Mill: Medieval water-powered bloomery?,

geophysical survey, 2003

Mwnydy: Medieval (?) iron smelting site,

geophysical survey, 1997

Pont-y-parc : Medieval (?) iron smelting site,

geophysical survey, 2003

Rhiwsaeson : Medieval (?) iron smelting site,

field survey, 1998

Lanelay : Tudor blast furnace site,

field survey, 2004

Hendy isaf : Tudor finery forge site,

field survey, 2004

Pont-y-parc Mine: Multiperiod lead mine,

pilot geophysical survey, 2001
geophysical survey, 2003

Clickable map linking to individual sites within the Miskin Project.
Red dots indicate particular sites,
Green areas are geophysical surveys.

The background to the project is available on the following pages:

The background

Historical background
Geological background

Tudor metal production

The slags:

General account of iron slags from the Miskin area
Analayses of iron slags from the Miskin area

Published material: