# Chatterley Whitfield,colliery



## staffordshireranger (Jun 8, 2007)

Now to anyone who has ever visited CHATTERLEY WHITFIELD you will know it`s a fantastic complete colliery complex and with a huge nasty spiky fence around it !, Myself i live a stones throw away so i know the site very well indeed. Here is some history..

Chatterley Whitfield colliery in North Staffordshire was the first pit in Europe to mine a million tons of coal in a year. The colliery site is full of listed buildings and the site itself is protected to the same level as Stonehenge - it's a scheduled ancient monument.

Chatterley Whitfield was one of Britain biggest collieries in its heyday. Documents I have seen give a broad brush peak employment of 4000. An accurate figure for 1947 when the mines were nationalised was 2778. In 1937 it achieved the distinction of being the first British colliery to produce a million tons of coal in a year. It opened in 1838 and finally closed down in 1977, three years after linking up underground with Wolstanton Colliery, a more modern colliery which could exploit the remaining reserves more efficiently. Two years later it was opened as an underground mining museum. However in 1986 the closure of Wolstanton whose workings and pumps had kept the mine from flooding and provided a legally required emergency exit (all the other shafts at the mine had previously been closed down) meant the museum had to close. It now stands derelict yet secure surrounded by high steel fences awaiting funds to regenerate it as a surface museum and to extend the existing small industrial estate. The Friends of Chatterley Whitfield, a group set up to promote its preservation, describe it as the most complete record of colliery buildings in England. The site is a scheduled Ancient Monument and most of its 34 buildings are Grade 2 listed. A very high chimney seen any towers above the area and can even be seen from the opposite side of the tip. This was to the boilerhouse which supplied the steam mainly for driving the shaft winding engines, one of which was still being used when the mine closed.


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## Foxylady (Jun 8, 2007)

Great pics, Steve. Looks like a rather interesting one to explore and I enjoyed the history behind it, too.
What are those bendy, concrete-looking things, btw? Are they something to do with the props/tunnels?

Cheers
Foxy


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## krela (Jun 8, 2007)

I... have... to... go... there...!


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## Pagan (Jun 8, 2007)

Great stuff Steve, I've got to get up those headstocks!


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## Reaperman (Jun 8, 2007)

Its a great place, though can be tough to get into. I stabbed my hand there last year and now have an inch long scar on the palm of my hand! 

The headstocks are a good climb even if they are in quite poor condition.

Dave has some posted from one of our visits here: http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=817


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## staffordshireranger (Jun 8, 2007)

Im glad you guys liked it and appreciated it,
It really is the jewel in the crown of the colliery`s left standing in the uk today.
If you would like to visit please pm me and i`ll be glad to show you the site.
And all the recent posts are a taste of what can be expected on the staffs meet. more to come soon... steve


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## Richard Davies (Jun 9, 2007)

My Dad went there when it was open to the public, & got me a ceramic coaster, which I had for years until I dropped it one day & it shattered.


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## smileysal (Jun 9, 2007)

Ooooooooooooooooooooh, i definitely want to go there. looks great. Foxy, those concrete bendy thing are what they use in some tunnels. (they had them at Welbeck Colliery when they used to have the training centre based there, and also had a museum as well, but thats sadly all gone).

Brilliant pics Steve, and Dave too. thank you. cant wait for the stoke meet now lol.

Cheers,

 Sal


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## King Al (Jun 10, 2007)

krela;13727; said:


> I... have... to... go... there...!



So... have... I.....................Now!


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## Lightbuoy (Jun 11, 2007)

King Al;13770; said:


> So... have... I.....................Now!



Me..............too...............PLEASE............can.............we................have.............a............guided.................tour?

Wow, that it a big site. Must be pretty rare to have what looks like a site pretty much intact. Loving your photos -in particular the Lamp Room (me Grandfather worked in the Lamproom before he retired from the Haig Pit in Whitehaven (think you had to earn your way to this job, as it must have been better than working underground!!) 

Thanks again SR 

Lb


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## snappel (Jun 11, 2007)

krela;13727; said:


> I... have... to... go... there...!


Definitely worth a visit. I love it there - the atmosphere is great. So peaceful. Plus it has quite a few features you don't often see at abandoned sites, like the long tub hall, and variety of headstocks. You could spend days there...

I agree with RM though. The first time I went I cut myself and nearly got impaled on a fence. The second time I got stuck upside down on some Heras fencing, and ended up with ripped jeans and cut legs - hilarious for my companions, but not so much for me!

A great location though...


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## krela (Jun 11, 2007)

snappel;13805; said:


> Definitely worth a visit. I love it there - the atmosphere is great. So peaceful. Plus it has quite a few features you don't often see at abandoned sites, like the long tub hall, and variety of headstocks. You could spend days there...
> 
> I agree with RM though. The first time I went I cut myself and nearly got impaled on a fence. The second time I got stuck upside down on some Heras fencing, and ended up with ripped jeans and cut legs - hilarious for my companions, but not so much for me!
> 
> A great location though...



Sounds like I'll need 999 on speed-dial if I go there then lol


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## staffordshireranger (Jun 11, 2007)

lol
as snappel say`s everyone has a story to tell about that fence !! ....i have to say i have been scar free to date....i have to say snappel`s pics are far better and check them on his site...level 2..


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## smileysal (Jun 11, 2007)

hehehe, good job ive got a good supply of plasters then. but reading this, looks like stocking up on bandages as well lmao.

 Sal


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## King Al (Jun 12, 2007)

I might pack an air ambulance just to make sure


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## smileysal (Jun 12, 2007)




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## Alley (Jun 18, 2007)

Development into a heritage centre is progressing rapidly. It's a must-see site, if a little tricky to negotiate 
http://www.chatwhitfriends.org.uk/ is a local group concerned with preserving the site.
Their website is being updated.

There is easier access than previous visits  Can confirm this before the group meet if you plan on going.


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## smileysal (Jun 19, 2007)

Thanks for the link Alley, will go and have a look at it and bookmark it. 

Cheers,

 Sal


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## staffordshireranger (Jun 19, 2007)

The site has been redesigned and some link are not working !


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## havoc (Jun 21, 2007)

Cool stuff SR, 
Gonna have to get round to doin this soon, place is very photogenic


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