Relatively little recent work published, but there is the Durham Mining Museum Website which also covers Cumberland, Westmorland, Northumberland and North Yorkshire.1 Emery covered the technical development of collieries, coke making and pit villages.2

Recent surveys include Temple (1994 and later volumes); Guy and Atkinson (2008, 41-75) includes a good overview of the coal industry in West Durham (which includes most of the exposed coalfield).3,4

The county council’s geographical information system is available on the web and includes a range of historic Ordnance Survey maps, which is useful for studying mining history.5

When the coal industry was nationalised in 1947, there were 234 collieries in Co Durham; now there are none. The last five pits to close were Seaham & Vane Tempest (1992), Easington (1993), Westoe (1993), Monkwearmouth (1994) & Wearmouth (1994)

  1. Gill, J. (Ed.) Durham Collieries (Durham: Durham County Record Office, 2001)
  2. Emery, N. The Coalminers of Durham (Alan Sutton, 1992)
  3. Temple, D. The Collieries of County Durham (Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Trade Union Printing, 1994)
  4. Guy, A. & Atkinson, F. West Durham: the archaeology of industry (Stroud: Phillimore, 2008)
  5. Durham County Council Geographical Information System

Further details:

 

Collieries after Nationalisation in 1947

 

Colliery Location Opened Closed
Addison Ryton 1855 February 1963
Adventure Pit West Rainton 1816 July 1978
Allotment Drift Bearpark 1938 March 1947
Alma Pelton 1943 November 1958
Arn Gill Lynesack & Softley 1915 May 1951
Arnghyll Lynesack & Softley 1913 May 1951
Arnghyll & Cowley Woodland 1915 May 1951
Axwell Park Swalwell 1839 August 1954
Barcus Close Burnopfield 1920 April 1966
Barlow Fell Drift Rowlands Gill 1953 October 1961
Barlow Towneley Drift Ryton 1953 October 1961
Beamish, James Pit Stanley 1908 1948
Beamish, Mary Pit Stanley 1890 March 1966
Beamish, Park Pit Stanley 1935 1948
Beamish, Second Pit Stanley 1784 November 1962
Bearpark Bearpark 1872 April 1984
Bildershaw Brandon & Byshottles 1955 October 1956
Blackburn Fell Drift Sunniside 1937 (April) (1973) Merged with Marley Hill
Blackhall Monk Hesleden 1909 April 1981
Blaydon Burn, Bessie Pit Winlaton 1855 November 1956
Blaydon Burn, Mary Pit Winlaton 1850 March 1953
Boldon West Boldon 1866 January 1982
Bourn Moor, D Pit Fence Houses 1790 February 1965
Bowburn Cassop cum Quarrington 1905 July 1967
Bradley Drift Leadgate 1960 September 1965
Brancepeth Willington 1840 July 1967
Brancepeth Drift Willington 1920 1948
Brancepeth, A Pit Willington 1855 1967
Brandon Brandon & Byshottles 1855 (August) (1960) Merged with Brandon Pit House
Brandon Pit House Brandon & Byshottles 1936 March 1968
Brandon, A Pit Brandon & Byshottles 1855 (August) (1960) Merged with Brandon Pit House
Brandon, B Pit Brandon & Byshottles 1880 (August) (1960) Merged with Brandon Pit House
Brandon, C Pit Brandon & Byshottles 1880 (August) (1960) Merged with Brandon Pit House
Brusselton Etherley 1925 June 1968
Bryan’s Leap Burnopfield 1933 1950
Burnhope Burnhope 1850 July 1949
Burnhope Annie & Betty Burnhope 1899 July 1949
Burnhope, Annie Pit Burnhope 1850 July 1949
Burnhope, Fortune Pit Burnhope 1850 July 1949
Burnmoor ‘D’ Fencehouses 1790 February 1965
Burnopfield Burnopfield 1742 August 1968
Byermoor Byermoor 1870 February 1968
Castle Drift Leadgate 1900 1948
Castle Eden Monk Hesleden 1840 February 1959
Causey Mill Drift Stanley 1949 January 1955
Chester South Moor Waldridge 1868 October 1967
Chilton Chilton 1872 (June) (1960) Merged with Dean & Chapter
Chopwell Chopwell 1781 November 1966
Clara Vale Clara Vale 1893 February 1966
Clockburn Drift Winlaton 1952 –
Cocken Drift Great Lumley 1938 –
Copeland House Etherley 1928 January 1948
Craghead Craghead 1839 April 1969
Craghead, Busty Pit Craghead 1839 April 1969
Craghead, Oswald Pit Craghead 1839 (1952) Merged with Craghead
Crookhall, Humber Hill Drift Consett 1885 November 1963
Crookhall, Victory Pit Consett 1921 November 1963
Crookhall, Woodside Winning Delves Lane 1928 November 1963
Dawdon Seaham Harbour 1900 July 1991
Deaf Hill Trimdon Foundry 1875 February 1967
Dean & Chapter Ferryhill 1899 January 1966
Dene Pit Bishop Auckland 1945 –
Derwent Medomsley 1870 November 1964
Duke of York Drift Lynesack & Softley 1938 January 1948
Dunston Dunston 1895 December 1947
Dunston Garesfield Dunston 1895 December 1947
Easington Easington Colliery 1900 May 1993
East Hedley Hope Hedleyhope 1875 January 1959
East Hetton Kelloe 1836 June 1983
East Tanfield Tanfield 1860 January 1965
East Towneley Drift Ryton 1960 1960
Eden Leadgate 1844 July 1980
Edmondsley, Shield Row Drift Sacriston 1947 May 1947
Eldon Drift Shildon 1934 October 1962
Elemore Hetton le Hole 1827 February 1974
Emma Pit Ryton 1845 April 1968
Eppleton Hetton 1833 (December) (1959) Part of Hawthorn
Esh Esh 1865 June 1968
Esperley Lane Drift Cockfield 1955 February 1962
Etherley Dene Bishop Auckland 1925 –
Fenhall Drift Lanchester 1960 May 1963
Fishburn Fishburn 1915 November 1973
Garesfield High Spen 1855 July 1960
Garesfield, Bute Pit High Spen 1867 July 1960
Garesfield, Lilley Rowlands Gill 1888 –
Garesfield, Ruler M Drift High Spen 1918 1950
Garesfield, Victoria Lintzford 1870 July 1962
Gordon House Cockfield 1863 –
Grange Sherburn 1844 April 1948
Greenside Greenside 1869 July 1966
Haggs Lane Drift Shildon 1960 1987
Hamsteels Esh Winning 1870 –
Hamsteels, Clifford Drift Esh Winning 1888 –
Hamsterley Hamsterley 1869 February 1968
Hamsterley, Long Close Drift Medomsley 1930 –
Handen Hold West Pelton 1869 March 1968
Handen Hold, Busty West Pelton 1915 1948
Harraton Harraton 1794 May 1965
Harton South Shields 1844 July 1969
Hawthorn Combine Murton 1953 November 1991
Hedley Stanley 1855 1958
Herrington Houghton & Washington 1874 December 1985
Hetton Hetton le Hole 1820 July 1950
Heworth Gateshead & Washington 1855 June 1963
High Marley Hill Drift Byermoor 1948 June 1963
Hill Top Lanchester 1869 April 1947
Hill Top, Harvey Langley Park 1940 1951
Hill Top, Low Main Langley Park 1945 1951
Hole in the Wall Crook 1940 November 1964
Hole in the Wall, Stonechester Drift Crook 1950 1950
Holmside Craghead 1839 April 1969
Horden Horden 1900 February 1986
Houghton Houghton & Washington 1873 September 1981
Hutton Drift Esh 1940 1948
Hylton Castletown 1900 July 1979
Kelloe Winning Kelloe 1834 1983
Kibblesworth Lamesley 1842 October 1974
Kibblesworth, Glamis Pit Lamesley 1842 October 1974
Kibblesworth, Robert Pit Lamesley 1842 October 1974
Kimblesworth Framwellgate Moor 1875 November 1967
Lady Durham Pit Sherburn 1863 1953
Lambton ‘D’ Fence Houses 1790 February 1965
Lanchester, Towneley Drift Malton 1837 August 1963
Langley Park Langley Park 1873 October 1975
Leasingthorne Coundon 1930 (1949) Merged with Dean & Chapter
Leasingthorne Coundon 1836 (1949) Merged with Dean & Chapter
Leazes Drift Lanchester 1938 January 1949
Lilley Drift Rowlands Gill 1893 January 1957
Little Burn Brandon & Byshottles 1873 December 1950
Littleburn Brandon & Byshottles 1873 December 1950
Louisa Stanley 1759 (December) (1955) Merged with Morrison Busty
Lumley Great Lumley 1790 January 1966
Lumley Sixth Great Lumley 1790’s January 1966
Mainsforth Ferryhill 1875 December 1968
Malton Lanchester 1870 July 1961
Marley Hill Marley Hill 1841 March 1983
Medomsley Gateshead 1868 October 1972
Metal Bridge Drift Ferryhill 1954 July 1978
Middridge Drift Middridge 1954 September 1966
Monkwearmouth Sunderland North 1826 May 1994
Morrison Busty Annfield Plain 1875 October 1973
Mountsett Fell Drift Tanfield 1945 October 1948
Murton Murton 1838 November 1991
Nettlesworth Drift Waldridge 1938 September 1974
New Brancepeth New Brancepeth 1860 July 1953
New Shildon Drift Shildon 1949 1985
Newbottle, Dorothea Fence Houses 1816 (December) (1956) Merged with Herrington
Newfield Drift Pelton Fell 1940 1950
Newfield Drift Pelton Fell 1940 1960
North Lintz Burnopfield 1765 February 1960
North Tees Drift Winston 1923 January 1966
Old Eldon Drift Shildon 1933 1950
Ouston, E Pit Ouston 1888 January 1959
Pelton Pelton 1835 February 1965
Pelton Fell Pelton 1835 February 1965
Phoenix Drift Greenside 1953 August 1964
Princes Street, No.1 Bishop Auckland 1939 November 1958
Princes Street, No.2 Bishop Auckland 1939 November 1958
Quarry Drift Bishop Auckland 1953 September 1955
Rainton, Adventure Pit West Rainton 1816 July 1978
Ramshaw Etherley 1928 October 1959
Ramshaw, No.2 Etherley 1935 1950
Randolph Evenwood & Barony 1893 February 1962
Randolph & Gordon House Evenwood & Barony 1935 February 1962
Ravensworth, Ann Birtley 1726 (April) (1973) Merged with Kibblesworth
Ravensworth, Betty Lamesley 1895 (1951) Merged with Ravensworth Ann
Ravensworth, Park Drift Lamesley 1935 February 1968
Ravensworth, Shop Pelton 1850 February 1962
Roddymoor Crook 1844 August 1963
Ryhope Sunderland 1858 November 1966
Sacriston Sacriston 1839 November 1985
Sacriston Shield Row Drift Sacriston 1900 August 1948
Seaham Seaham 1849 December 1992
Sherburn Hill Sherburn 1835 August 1965
Shield Row Drift No.1 Sacriston 1845 July 1949
Shield Row Drift No.2 Sacriston 1950 1950
Shotton Shotton 1840 September 1972
Silksworth Sunderland 1869 November 1971
South Ewehurst Drift Medomsley 1945 1953
South Garesfield Burnopfield 1765 February 1960
South Hetton Pittington 1833 July 1982
South Medomsley Dipton 1861 (November) (1962)
South Medomsley, Annie Pit Dipton 1864 July 1980
South Moor Stanley 1818 October 1973
South Pelaw Chester le Street 1855 January 1964
South Shildon Shildon 1929 August 1958
Staindrop Field House Drift Evenwood & Barony 1953 July 1967
Stanley Burn Drift Prudhoe 1950 February 1965
Stanley Cottage Drift Stanley Crook 1955 May 1968
Stargate Winlaton 1803 June 1963
Stella Gateshead 1855 February 1963
Tanfield Lea Tanfield Lea 1829 August 1962
Tanfield Moor Tantobie 1768 October 1948
Tanfield Moor, Willy Pit Dipton 1762 October 1948
Thornley New Thornley 1833 January 1970
Thrislington Cornforth 1835 March 1967
Towneley Ryton 1843 April 1968
Towneley Main Winlaton 1803 June 1963
Towneley Main, Emma Pit Ryton 1845 April 1968
Towneley, Emma Pit Ryton 1845 April 1968
Townley & Stella Blaydon on Tyne 1855 February 1963
Trimdon Grange Trimdon 1845 February 1968
Tudhoe Mill Drift Tudhoe 1954 February 1965
Tudhoe Park Drift Tudhoe 1940 May 1969
Twizell Burn Drift Grange Villa 1923 July 1948
Urpeth, ‘C’ Urpeth 1835 (April) (1957) Merged with Ouston
Ushaw Moor Brandon & Byshottles 1855 August 1960
Usworth Usworth 1845 August 1974
Vane Tempest Seaham 1924 December 1992
Victoria Garesfield Lintzford 1870 July 1962
Waldridge Fell Drift Waldridge Fell 1940 1948
Wardley Bill Quay 1870 August 1974
Wardley Follingsby 1908 August 1974
Washington Glebe Washington 1901 August 1972
Washington, ‘F’ Pit Washington 1777 June 1968
Watergate Whickham 1924 August 1964
Waterhouses Brandon & Byshottles 1859 August 1966
Wearmouth Sunderland 1835 May 1994
West Auckland Etherley 1838 October 1948
West Auckland Drift West Auckland 1960 July 1967
West Brandon Drift Brandon & Byshottles 1950 August 1958
West Thornley Wolsingham 1875 November 1965
Westerton Drift Coundon 1838 October 1961
Westoe South Shields 1909 May 1993
Wheatley Hill Wheatley Hill 1870 May 1968
Whitburn Whitburn 1879 June 1968
Whittonstall Drift Whittonstall 1907 November 1966
Whitworth Park Spennymoor 1930 July 1974
Willington, New Pit Sunny Brow 1840 July 1967
Wingate Grange Wingate 1839 October 1962
Witton Sacriston 1855 January 1966
Witton & Sacriston Busty Durham 1943 January 1966
Woodside Etherley 1945 April 1950
Woolley Crook 1865 (June) (1951) Merged with Roddymoor

Dates in brackets indicate the date that the colliery merged with another

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