top of page
full size.png

6848

Rainton Colliery

Rainton, Sunderland

54.823785, -1.496854

Meadows Pit

Opened:

Closed:

1824

1896

Entry Created:

3 Sept 2021

Last Updated:

4 Jun 2022

Reclaimed

Condition:

Owners: 

North Hetton Co. (1850s), Lady F. A. Vane Londonderry (1850s), Marquess of Londonderry (1890s)

Description (or HER record listing)

Shown on 1st edition Ordnance Survey map. This large colliery was linked to the Rainton and Seaham Railway (HER 2976) by the Adventure Branch (HER 3195). It was also linked to the North Eastern Railway (HER 2625) and the Londonderry Railway (HER 3180) Opened in 1824. Owners were the North Hetton Coal Company (Earl of Durham, Messrs Wood, Philipson, Burrell and others) and Lady FA Vane Londonderry, Marquess of Londonderry (in 1850s). Part of Rainton Colliery, which was opened before 1815 and closed in July 1978. Rainton Colliery included Adventure Pit (NZ 315 470), Dun Well Pit (HER 3206), Alexandrina Pit (HER 3219), Hazard Pit (HER 3212), Nicholson's Pit (HER 3201), North Pit (HER 3197), Plain Pit (HER 3198), Resolution Pit (NZ 311 476). In 1790 a boring had been put down in South Pit in East Rainton by a Mr Rawlings, to a depth of 10 fathoms. Whellan reported that in 1894 Rainton Colliery had 31 stationary engines, 38 boilers, 1185 workers and 835 workmen's houses.In modern times Rainton Meadows was an opencast mine called Rye Hill Surface Coal Mine. Site now restored as a nature reserve ran by Durham Wildlife Trust.

Ordnance Survey, 1890s

Ordnance Survey, 1890s

Aerial view of Meadow Pit, adjacent to the furthest reservoir.

Have we missed something, made a mistake, or have something to add? Contact us

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. 

icon0821.png

Historic Maps provided by

nls-logo.png
bottom of page