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4224

Throckley Colliery

Throckley

54.986381,-1.762045

Isabella Pit

Opened:

Closed:

1867

20th c

Entry Created:

3 Sept 2021

Last Updated:

31 Oct 2024

Partly Preserved

Condition:

Owners: 

Throckley Coal Co. (1860s), National Coal Board (1947 -)

Description (or HER record listing)

NEHL - Though an "East Engine Pit" stood here prior to the 1850s, the Throckley Coal Co. first started exploiting this land in 1867. It was connected to the Newcastle to North Wylam line via a small branch, leading to a full collection of sidings into the working, coke ovens (which partly still remain), and a reservoir where I imagine water was pumped into.

Clusters of pit houses popped up thanks to the Isabella Pit. The Leazes, a set of two adjacent rows which still remains is the northernmost. 2 rows stood north west of the pit, and Blayney Row stands next to the railway to Wylam. This also still remains.

There are extensive remains of the coke ovens between Blayney Row and the main complex. They are ruins of 4 beehive ovens alongside a brick-lined flue, with earthworks of more to the north. 22 ovens were built at a cost of £260, in 1875 a further 22 were erected and in 1890 a further 20. They used bricks from Stephenson's Brickworks and Spencer's Works at Newburn were their primary consumers.

"The Throckley Coal Company was formed in 1862 and included Major Stephenson, John Spencer (of Newburn Steelworks), Mr. Simpson and Mr. Boyd. The main drawing shaft - the Isabella shaft - was named after the wife of the company director. This was not the only shaft - the Derwentwater was the third shaft on the site. The coal seam exploited was the Brockwell seam. The colliery was not noted for any mechanisation by 1945. Coal production ceased in January 1954. Selected demolition/salvage had taken place of the Derwentwater winding machinery from 1938 to 1940." - Sitelines

Ordnance Survey, 1898

Ordnance Survey, 1898

Photograph of Throckley Colliery, undated. Source: Beamish Collections

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The remains of one of the Beehive Ovens, taken in March 2022.

The remains of one of the Beehive Ovens, taken in March 2022.

Historic Environment Records

Durham/Northumberland: Keys to the Past

Tyne and Wear: Sitelines

HER information as described above is reproduced under the basis the resource is free of charge for education use. It is not altered unless there are grammatical errors. 

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