Cwmsymlog

Cwmsymlog is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in Ceredigion, in the west of Wales. This site lost much of its importance when the mining in the area declined and finally came to an end in 1901.

Nowadays Cwmsymlog (Valley of wild strawberries) lies hidden between the trees. The small settlement itself with its chapel is surrounded by a few scattered houses. One of these, Tanyfoel (Below the hill), has a rock garden designed by the Ritman family and another one has a standing stone in front of the house. Everywhere around are traces of mining. The site was already inhabited in ancient times.

The presence of Palaeolithic and Mesolithic hunters is unlikely, but that of Neolithic farmers cannot entirely be ruled out.

In the Bronze Age several standing stones were erected. Dating of these holy places: about 1500 B.C. Two stones are near Pen-bont Rhydybeddau (Head of the bridge Ford of the graves), one is near the hill-fort Pen y Castell, one in front of a house called Pant y Garreg Hir (Hollow of the Long Stone) and two lie close together with the name Buwch a'r Llo (Cow and Calf) east of the last one. Near-by these paired monoliths is another one. Also built in the Bronze Age are two burial mounds (cairns/piles of stones): Garn-Wen (White Cairn) lies near Pent-bont Rhydybeddau and Carn Dolgau (Cairn of Meadow of hollow) is near Cwmerfyn (cwm/valley).

In the Iron Age several hill-forts were constructed with ramparts and ditches. Banc-y-Darren (banc/hillside) lies south of Pent-bont Rhydybeddau and Pen y Castell (Head of the Castle) north of it. These defended villages are about 2000 years old.

In medieval times and perhaps earlier Cwmsymlog (East Darren) became a mining district. In the sixteenth and seventeenth century the region is mainly known for silver mining. Smelting was at Furnace (near Talybont) and in Aberystwyth Mint was the locally minted silver. Nantyrarian (Brook of silver) is of course a logical name. Later on lead mining became important. Especially in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. Traces of these activities are everywhere: shafts like Skinner's Shaft, Taylor's Shaft and Pryse's Shaft, a tramway, leats, wheel pits, spoil tips, the reservoir Llyn Pendam (Lake of the Head of the dam) and a recently restored mine chimney.

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Wikipedia