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Penparc Comet Lode workings looking towards Copa
Hill and the main Bronze Age mine in the centre
distance (S. Timberlake)
Hill and the main Bronze Age mine in the centre
distance (S. Timberlake)
Penparc excavation trench 2017 (S. Timberlake)
Penparc (Comet Lode) West Cwmystwyth
In 2015 David James (geologist) of Penparc, Cwmystwyth, informed the EMRG of
a find of possible hammer stones associated with opencut working on the hillside
above his house, at a point where the western faulted branch of the Comet Lode
outcrops at surface.
This was investigated in October 2015, and in 2017 the spoil from this which had been
sectioned by a bridle way ascending the hill was excavated by means of two trenches.
Radiocarbon samples were obtained from short-lived burnt wood samples associated
with fire setting, which gave dates of 1881-1696 cal BC and 1928-1796 cal BC.
The dates suggested several phases of mining, perhaps for copper minerals associated
with iron gossan in this part of the vein. Statistically, this may have began slightly later
than the main Bronze Age exploitation upon Copa Hill.
a find of possible hammer stones associated with opencut working on the hillside
above his house, at a point where the western faulted branch of the Comet Lode
outcrops at surface.
This was investigated in October 2015, and in 2017 the spoil from this which had been
sectioned by a bridle way ascending the hill was excavated by means of two trenches.
Radiocarbon samples were obtained from short-
The dates suggested several phases of mining, perhaps for copper minerals associated
with iron gossan in this part of the vein. Statistically, this may have began slightly later
than the main Bronze Age exploitation upon Copa Hill.
