THE 'MINES' / MOUNTAIN VILLAGES ETC. / OUTSKIRTS

THE 'MINES'

The Old Workings

'The silver mine was found out by an English man a little before the late Rebellion, who observing a sheep killed in the shambles to be extream yellow, enquired where it grazed, who told him upon the aforedescribed mountaines, whereupon he concluded in that Place to be, and discovered the Silver mine. The Soyle is short and crumbling, not a clay though of a clayish colour in some almost of a bright yellow in others darker; it abounds with Yellow Oker and Umber, which burnt in a crucible turnes to a red this the Proprietor sells as such; Whilst it produced silver it was held by Pattent. It is now possessed by Henry Pretty Esq^rwho onely rayseth Lead Concerning the Veines, the flakey and shineing is best for silver, the glittering and sparkey next, but the white crusted with Oker is the best for Lead, this last the Workers in the Mine call Catts Teeth and with a blow pipe Cole and Candle will melt into plain lead, it is very weighty and resembles white enamell or glass. The melting houses and Mill marked with T. hath a large Water Wheele by whose motion a Great Forge bellows is lifted up and blown.
There was a want of Water which caused the worke to stand still, because of the Dryness of the season....'

Thomas Dineley - Observations in a Voyage through the Kingdom of Ireland - 1681

Dynelys original sketch

After Colonel Henry Prittie acquired his lands at Kilboy he was visited by Thomas Dynely (aka Dingely/Dinely) in 1681. This is a rudimentary sketch Dynely made of the Lead, Ochre and Amber mineworks at Silvermines. Note the two Inn's in the foreground, The New Inn and Ye Holy Lamb. You can also see a new shaft being sunk in 1681 at "K".