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benw01c

Benwell Manor, coal mine

Benwell

54.974214, -1.659036

Opened:

Closed:

17th c

Unknown

Entry Created:

4 Dec 2023

Last Updated:

4 Dec 2023

Redeveloped

Condition:

Owners: 

Description (or HER record listing)

NEHL - This is one of a large number of bell pits and deeper workings illustrated on a survey of the Manor of Benwell in 1637. By 1611, Benwell was one of the most important mining areas on Tyneside. By this year, there were 22 working pits in 7 different collieries which extended as deep as 192 ft, giving an impression it was more than just a pit. Within the next twenty years, an entire hierachy of viewers, hewers, bankmen and overmen developed into a recognisable colliery structure.

These pits were likely owned by the partnership of Newcastle Hostmen - Sir Peter Riddle, Thomas Surtees, Robert Shaftoe Snr & Jnr, William Hodgson, Henry Chapman and William Jennison. Richard Richardson also opened a number of pits at Stumplewood nr Benwell. One pit produced around 15,000 tons annually in these days, which only intensified by the 1660s with pits sprawing both the freehold and copyhold lands.

This specific plot was on copyhold land, directly south of land held by the Vicar of Newcastle in the 17th century, next to the lane from Low Benwell to North Elswick.

Source: Ownership, Technology and Patterns of Coalmining Activity in Northumberland between 1600 and 1850, Stephen James Telford, University of London

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Historic Environment Records

Durham/Northumberland: Keys to the Past

Tyne and Wear: Sitelines

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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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