Cefn Coed Colliery Museum Collection
A selection of photographs, ephemera and oral histories from the Cefn Coed Colliery Museum collection.
Cefn Coed Colliery became operational in 1930 after several previous attempts at sinking a shaft on the site had failed due to the impenetrable Blue Pennant sandstone preventing access to the rich coal seam below.
By the time coal was raised it was the deepest anthracite coal mine in the world. Five coal seams were worked at various times the deepest being the “peacock” seam almost half-a-mile down.
Working at such depths brought many problems and dangers. The build up of methane gas, roof falls and other accidents were common place during the early years and the pit soon gained the nickname of “The Slaughterhouse.”
The Colliery prospered for a number of years until the ever increasing cost of keeping roadways open at such depth took their toll. The pit closed in 1968 and many of the workforce were transferred to the adjacent Blaenant drift mine which was opened in 1963, finally pulling up the last dram of coal in May 1990.
