Everyone knows Elsecar with its wonderful atmospheric engine which provides the place with a superb link to its mining past.

However virtually unknown just half a mile away is a real Gem of a site known as Hemingfield Colliery (Aka Elsecar Low Pit).
I was tipped off by a friend on the Elsecar Rly who said a drive might not hurt me round the corner to Hemingfield... What I found was a complete pit site. From left to right there is a Headgear I assume to be winding as the cage guides are still in the shaft, a substation from the electric pumping station era, a very nice stone built winding house built for an enclosed winder, the pumping shaft and its attendant Cornish pumping engine house. The house has been vertically truncated at the top on conversion to a residence but about 3 ft of the wing walls remain. The bob wall of the engine house is very oil stained and there is a headgear attached to it.
I'm amazed this site is not preserved or at least listed before we lose it.
There has been a fire in the substation due to copper thieves breaking in but otherwise the site is complete.

it appears to be under UKCoal management but the local who showed me a way in said no one seems to go there.

I will make a few more enquiries as this place was a real shot in the arm from an IA point of view being so complete and un messed about.
I have put on the history thus far found and plenty of pics.

🔗Hemingfield-Colliery-Coal-Mine-User-Album-Image-32403[linkphoto]Hemingfield-Colliery-Coal-Mine-User-Album-Image-32403[/linkphoto][/link]

🔗Hemingfield-Colliery-Coal-Mine-User-Album-Image-32422[linkphoto]Hemingfield-Colliery-Coal-Mine-User-Album-Image-32422[/linkphoto][/link]

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Sounds and looks great; meat and drink for the IA enthusiasts. By the way do you have network of informers working for you Ian? 🙂

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I'm lucky like that, Its odd how it works.... I have loads of rail enthusiast friends who do nothing else but they do take a very passing interest in IA so even though they are not bothered they know I will be and give me the nod....

That place was exceptional though.....

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Interesting that you mention so much about railways as a canal runs past Hemingfield and in fact there is a basin nearby suggesting that at least some of the output went away by that means. It's an absolutely superb site and presumably survived because it was a pumping site for many years.

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Yes I believe there was a basin and looking at the height above the canal I wondered the same as it would have been easy to load them both, rail and/or canal... Just ran out of time so didn't get to look at the canal or area below the mine. It was also heavily grown over from what I could see.

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Marvellous find there Iclok, Concrete headgear very reminiscent of Foxfield Colliery. If the Coal Authority still own it, perhaps they will sell? I'm sure that there would be grants available to save it.......


Alan

It should be saved as there cannot be many complete pitheads with Cornish Engine houses in South Yorks... Really wonderful atmosphere there.

I wouldn't know where to start on the process to save it!

Guess a letter to the Coal Authority I guess.

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Find out if it's Listed - the local authority covering the site of Hemingfield will be able to say.

If not, then write to their Planning Department and suggest why it should be Listed. Or do the same with English Heritage. The more information you can provide about Hemingfield's historical importance the better.

Then when Listed, make sure it stays Listed - some councils in former coal mining areas are too keen to get rid of remains of the past - they say it prevents the attraction of new industries. Elsecar just down the road suggests otherwise.

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