Coal mining took place on the Common very close to the town of Macclesfield. Eighteenth century workings included the Fence Colliery at Higherfence, the site of the main winding shaft of which was destroyed when Wades built a service reservoir there. Local coal owner, and proprietor of the nearby Roe Wood Colliery, George Needham reopened the workings when he sank the new Throstles Nest Pit above Commonside Farm in the mid nineteenth century. This included clearing and shoring up the old road underground leading to the No.7 Air Pit by one Jackson. By 1884 Needham had relinquished the colliery and it was under of control of William Mellor, the owner of the 'White Shop' engineering works at Rainow and also the collieries at Hough Hole and Lymer Clough, although all were shown as 'standing' at that time.
This photograph is by tarboat and was uploaded May 28th 2013. © tarboat please do not copy or distribute without prior express permission.
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