In the last quarter of the 18th century this colliery was working and was one of those served by the Tanfield Waggonway-one of the earliest waggonways in the country built 1723.
By 1839 the colliery had ben closed for some time and a local landowner John Bowes in partnership with others set up the Marley Hill Coal Company with a veiw to reopening the mine.
The new sinking was begun 8th Jan 1840 and completed in June of the following year.
The colliery was then linked by a new rail line to Kibblesworth.
After the Second World War the colliery was part of a major development when the Clockburn Drift [NZ 186604] was driven from the bank of the River Derwent at Winlaton Mill for two miles to connect into Marley Hill workings. The drift carried two 3'6" tracks and this allowed the Marley Hill Coal- which was excellent coking coal-to be carried to the Derwenthaugh Coke Works.
Clockburn Drift closed in 1983, and the cokeworks closed not long after in December 1985