# Wyre Forest Coalfield



## borntobemild (Apr 2, 2010)

Apologies if this is in the wrong place, but it feels more rural than industrial to me.

The Wyre Forest Coalfield covers an area of around 50 square miles, on the borders of Shropshire and Worcestershire, centred on the Wyre Forest. Although this gives the coalfield its name, paradoxically there is virtually no workable coal beneath the forest itself. This is found in two distinct deposits, either side of the forest.

Mining first started in the coalfield in the Middle Ages; the first mines were probably for ironstone. However, by the end of the 16th Century coal mining was underway and this soon became dominant. In the 17th and 18th centuries there were numerous small mines, working the coal where it was shallowest. However, around 1800 larger mines were sunk at Highley and Billingsley. These had comparatively short lives, but towards the end of the 19th Century deep mining returned, first to Billingsley and then to the Highley area.

The largest concern was the Highley Mining Company who worked Highley, Kinlet and Alveley Collieries and who also took over Billingsley Colliery. Alveley Colliery was taken over by the National Coal Board in 1947 and received considerable investment in the late 1950s. However it was closed as uneconomic in 1969.

Unlike many larger coalfields, there was no systematic attempt to restore former mining sites after extraction ceased. Thus, much mining archaeology remains undisturbed in belts of woodland or on derelict land. There are a number of fine mining landscapes within the area. In the vicinity of Billingsley, the Productive Coal Measure outcrops are marked by numerous shallow workings in both coal and ironstone seams. There are extensive remains of mine buildings, the railway, the tramway and also the model village built to house the workers in Highley.

The largest mine was at Alveley, which employed more than 1,000 men and drew more than 300,000 tons of coal a year in the late 1950s. It closed in 1969. In the southern basin, the Bayton Colliery Company employed more than 100 men at their pits in and around Mamble in the 1930s and 1940s.

There's some more detailed information here

http://www.discovershropshire.org.uk/html/search/verb/GetRecord/theme:20070113082550

I’ve posted a few pictures of Kinlet Colliery before. Once you find it. Then the remains are quite obvious and pretty photogenic. The remains of the other collieries are not as photogenic and obvious. I spent several hours walking through fields and woods (in the rain), for limited reward. However, as these places are relatively unknown and remote, there’s always a possibility you will discover something previously unnoticed.

*Hunthouse Colliery*
Hunthouse was the last collliery to close in 1972. Unfortunately, the main colliery site is now occupied by a timber company and pretty difficult to get access to. However, the rest of the remains are in Hunthouse wood Nature Reserve behind the colliery site and contain one drift (blocked up, not photogenic) and various other remnants in the process of being swallowed up by nature.

This was down by a brook in the nature reserve. Looks like it might have been associated with a shaft or aerial ropeway. Suggestions welcome







tramway






bucket from aerial ropeway






A deep ravine ran through the middle of the site. Part of this had been used as landfill - 50s by the look of it. Loads of bottles etc. 






*Chorley Colliery*

Closed 1940. Some info on the ‘Discovering Shropshire’ web page











Two demolished cottages next to colliery site. Nice tiles.






*Billingsley Colliery*

Billingsley was a hive of industry once. At various times there have been a furnace, coal mine, and marshalling yards for the line connecting the colliery to the SVR. The mine closed in 1921, but the railway remained in use until the 1950s.

Old mine building I think . Well secured!! Private property!






Weigh-house next to railway line






Collapsed Tramway bridge











*Links to a few pics*

Hunthouse coal face

http://www.geopark.org.uk/blog/_archives/2009/7/12/4252894.html

Bayton Colliery lorry

http://www.geopark.org.uk/blog/_archives/2009/7/12/4252906.html

Highley Colliery

http://www.geopark.org.uk/blog/_archives/2009/7/12/4252900.html

*Some Proper Photos*

http://www.lostlabours.co.uk/wyre/index.htm


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## Mid diesel (Apr 2, 2010)

good stuff - will have a look at this


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## borntobemild (Apr 3, 2010)

Mid diesel said:


> good stuff - will have a look at this



pm me if you want OS grid references etc


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## diehardlove (Apr 3, 2010)

this is nice,think im going to go and have a look


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## Sabtr (Apr 3, 2010)

Some interesting stuff there.

The winch looks (to me) to have been used to go down into a deep hole. The cable drum is quite large, has a large diameter center and would be better suited to lifting lightish loads for a long distance. Shaft sinking comes to mind.
Speaking of which I reckon that ropeway bucket is actually a sinking kibble. Kibbles are used when sinking shafts because they are narrow and can hold anything you put in - rocks, mud etc. The thick metal construction helps to pull the cable off a winch when lowering due to its weight too.

Thanks for posting.


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## Coal Cutter (Apr 3, 2010)

Excellent find indeed, just the type of location me and Sausage love. The kibble is quite an interesting one, never seen one like this in a coal mine before.


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## TK421 (Apr 3, 2010)

Like it! Loads of old relics there mate, I really like the ariel bucket.


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## borntobemild (Apr 3, 2010)

thanks for the information. particularly about the kibble and the winding gear.

I will definitely go back and have another look. There's more stuff, particularly around the Billingsley site that I didn't have a chance to look at.


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## Foxylady (Apr 4, 2010)

Some really nice remains there. Interesting explore and history, BTBM. Love the kibble and weigh-house. Good stuff.


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