Local Coal Mines, Pits, Collieries and Levels
		Benson's Level
Benson's Level Crosskeys		Worked the No.2 Rhondda Seam at the turn of the Century
		Celynen South Colliery
Celynen South Colliery Abercarn		Sunk in 1873 by the Newport Abercan Black Vein Steam Coal Company at a depth of 1216 feet.The No. 1 shaft was sunk to the black vein , the No. 3 to the old coal seam, and the No.2 as the upcast shaft. Originally called the Celynen Nos. 1 and 3 Collieries until the sinking of the Celynen North colliery in 1914. The company was absorbed into the Ebbw Vale Steel Iron and Coal Company, which itself sold out to the Partridge Jones and John Paton Company in 1935, Celynen South colliery was closed by the N.C.B in 1985 1600 employed in 1896
		Blackvein Colliery
Blackvein Colliery Crosskeys		Worked fully between 1841 and 1888 until the North Risca Colliery (Crosskeys) was opened. Also worked spasmodically up to the 1920s. The many owners were John Russell, Risca Coal and Iron Company, Thomas Rodes, London and South wales Colliery Company, United National Collieries, Ocean and United National Collieries Limited. Opened to work the Black Vein (nine-feet) seam. It was found tp be exremely gaseous in this area and the pit became know as the "Death Pit" due to the number of explosions. Between 1846 and 1860 explosions killed 194 miners. The worst explosion was on the 1st December 1860 when 146 were killed. The Shaft was 559 feet deep with the following average seam sections :- Bute - 18", Black Vein -9 feet, Red Vein -1 foot 10", Grey -2 feet, Four-Feet - 6 feet, Six-Feet - 3feet
		Click here for a map showing the location of the Blackein Colliery
		Cwmbyr Colliery
Cwmbyr Colliery Risca		Worked towards the end of the 19th Century by E.Jones
		Cwmcarn Colliery
Cwmcarn Colliery Cwmcarn		The one shaft had been in use since 1876 as a downcast shaft for the nearby Prince of Wales Colliery . The other shaft was sunk by the Ebbw Vale Steel Iron & Coal Company who then run the colliery as an individual unit. Later owned by Partridge Jones and and John Paton, and closed by the N.C.B in November 1968. The shafts were 843 ft deep to the black vein. The Cwmcarn Scenic Forest drive now runs over the shafts of the colliery.
		Darran Colliery
Darran Colliery Risca		The name of numerous levels in this area. The main one being the Darran Drift owned by Jones's Darran Firebrick Works. The drift was 480ft deep and also worked fireclay until 1942. 1896 - 24 employed.
		Drill Hall Level
Drill Hall Level Crosskeys		Small 19th Century level that was later linked to the Blackvein Colliery.
		Green's Level
Green's Level Crosskeys		Used to mine coal and fireclay. Closed around 1929
		Jack Y North Pit
Jack Y North Pit Crosskeys		A shallow pit that became part of the Blackvein Colliery.
		Nine Mile Point Colliery
Nine Mile Point Colliery Cwmfelinfach		Opened in 1902 and originally called the Coronation Colliery. it was sunk to a depth of 1183ft The owners were Burnyeat and Brown, Ocean Coal Company, Ocean and United National Coal Company Limited and the National Coal Board who closed it in July 1964.. This colliery is famous for the stay down strike of October 1935 when 162 men stayed undeground for between 128 and 177hrs in protest at the importation of "scab labour". While sinking the pit in 1905 a landslide killed 7 miners
		North Risca Colliery
North Risca Colliery Crosskeys		Sank in 1875 to a depth of 1009 ft by the London and South Wales Colliery Company, later owned by United National Collieries, Ocean and United National, and the Coal Board who closed the colliery in July 1966. In 1935 a stay downstrike of 189 men lasted 72hrs in protest over the importation of "scab labour" in the form of the South Wales Industrial Union. Sunk to replace the Blackvein Colliery the tragic record of the Blackvein Colliery continued at the "Risca Pit" with , on July 15th 1880 an explosion killing 119 men and boys. 1008 employed in 1896.
		Click here for a map showing the location of the North Risca Colliery
		Old Ventillator Pit
Old Ventillator Pit Crosskeys		One of the first shafts in this area sunk prior to 1840. Later became the upcast shaft of the Blackvein Colliery
		Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales Abercarn		Series of six shafts (including the Cwmcarn upcast) that were sunk from c. 1836 by theAbercarn and Gwythern Colliery Company. The colliery was later owned in turn by : Abercarn Colliery Co., Ebbw Vale Steel Iron & Coal Co., Partridge Jones and John Paton & Co., National Coal Board. Coal production ceased sometime in the 1930's and was only used for maintenance purposes by the N..C.B . On September 11th , 1878 an explosion killed 268 men and boys, the worse explosion in South Wales to that date. Most of the bodies were never recovered. The main coal to be worked in the deep shafts was the black vein at 10 feet thick. 971 employed in 1896.
		Rock Vein Pit
Rock Vein Pit Crosskeys		Sank to a depth of 229 feet to the No.2 Rhondda seam in around 1840. Closed in 1898.
		Click here for a map showing the location of the Rock Vein Pit
		For further details on Coal Mining in Gwent (Old Monmouthshire) please see :- The Links page