I live in Kington (HR5 3DF) whats the best coal mine to explore near this area (and hopefully come back with some free coal) cheers Joe

There isn't one very close...and even if there was I'm not sure it would be a good idea harvesting coal unless you know what you're about. Your nearest pits are in Shropshire but I'm not qualified to hold forth on them as I only know them a little - suggest you get in touch with the Shropshire Mines crowd.

---

The nearest and only local coal mine would be Presteigne mine in Powys, just outside Presteigne. It was a trial coal mine that operated between 1912 and 1914 but the only remains are a run in shaft close to the road.

If you want to experience a real coal mine, can I recommend Big Pit in Blaenavon. You get a good underground tour, and it's free

---

Another thing you need to consider - it's actually against the law to enter an abandoned coal mine without the Coal Authority's permission (obviously, none of us on this site have ever done so :angel: ), plus there's the issues of air quality in a coal mine to consider....

---

I can also recommend Hopewell colliery in Forest of Dean. That is a "non sanitised" museum they even still win coal there.

Thanks everybody, great help, I'l take a look at the ones suggested. Joe

A wee bit further away... They used to (do they still do?) harvest sea coal on the beaches of Tyne and Wear.


Robin

Lipsi wrote

The nearest and only local coal mine would be Presteigne mine in Powys, just outside Presteigne. It was a trial coal mine that operated between 1912 and 1914 but the only remains are a run in shaft close to the road.

Unfortunately this never produced coal (wrong geology). For details see David Bick's "The Old Metal Mines of Mid-Wales" Part 6 "A Miscellany" Chapter 11 "Trials for Coal".

As Monty Stubble pointed out there were 'real' coal mines in Shropshire. Shropshire Caving and Mining Club (SCMC) produce a quarterly publication called "Below" which tends to have a lot of detail on coal (as well as Metal) mines in the area.

Agreed, there's as much chance of getting coal out of Presteigne mine as there is getting gold out of the gold mine on the Malvern Hills, but it was listed as a coal mine. The Shropshire coal mines come down into Worcestershire, and the coal seams were worked as far south as Abberley.

---

Two more locations, both pretty much obliterated. The first is an oddity in that it is a small coal mine well within Herefordshire. The Bromyard Local History Group published a booklet about the town (located between Leominster and Worcester) that identifies an old coal level on Bromyard Downs. This was never much of an enterprise but supplied poor quality coal to the locality before the railway changed the economic landscape,
The second is the Newent Coalfield which the instigators of the Hereford and Gloucester Canal where determined to exploit by insisting that a branch canal be dug into Newent. This was unfortunate on two points. Firstly the additional cost bankrupted the original investors and secondly while the canal did indeed allow access to Newent for coal it also made the better quality Dean coal affordable in Newent and quickly killed the coalfield stone dead ! Oops

---

Your nearest pits are in Shropshire but I'm not qualified to hold forth on them as I only know them a little - suggest you get in touch with the Shropshire Mines crowd.

As far as I know, you'll be out of luck looking in Shropshire. There were plenty of pits but nothing accessible left.

I would have thought the best bet would be FoD?

Visited Hopewell Colliery about 2 weeks ago & they are working a "new" drift separate from the museum drift. I will post pictures as soon as I can find the time!! I will also be re-visiting soon to hopefully see the mine in operation & in production.

There are also 2 other drift mines in the vicinity that should be in production again soon.


Cheers

Alan

Hopwell are also working the Phoenix Mine which is about ½ mile away to the south of Hopewell Mine.

I visited Phoenix as well as Hopewell. Phoenix is now connected undergound to Hopewell & is purely a ventilation drift for Hopewell now. Of course, I'm sure that coal could be brought out this way.

The other two drifts are Monument Colliery at Bixslade & Canop Drift Colliery. I will be returning to the forest again soon to catch up on the situation with these - now very rare - drift mines.

Cheers

Alan

I've loaded up some photos of Hopewell Colliery & Phoenix Colliery in the Forest.

The drifts in the Forest of Dean will probably be the closest mines to Kington, however, I'm sure that the miners will want something for their hard won coal!!!

Cheers

Alan