Historic Ordnance Survey map evidence shows the position of Upper Heworth Colliery.

Ada Pit opened at Heworth in the 1700s and closed 29 June 1963. Former owners included Mr Blackett, JP Pearson and Co (1850s), Henderson Anderson & Co, Heworth Coal Company Ltd and from 1947 NCB. Plans of Heworth Colliery exist from 1762. The winding pit was sunk in 1819 to the Hutton seam and to Beaumont seam in 1876.

In 1894 1000 men and boys worked there. The staithes were at Pelaw. On 5 September 1826 an explosion killed 5 people.

NEHL - The first pit just north was opened by the Blacketts from around 1701. It had been exhausted by the 1810s so this new pit was sunk.

The pit can be seen on plans of Heworth and the surrounding area from 1826. The pit was already connected by its own waggonway at this time, with a single line branch connecting to the Ouston and Pelaw Waggonway at High Lane. Housing had already been built too, with an atypical rectangular square of cottages adjacent on the north side.

The colliery dramatically expanded over the next half century, with a complex tramway network to take spoil to the heaps. A chapel was constructed by the 1890s also.