Towneley Colliery
Used with kind permission of b3tarev3
Brooks & Pickup began sinking the shafts here in late February 1869. Because the site chosen was near a large fault, it was expected that the Arley Mine could be worked on the downthrow side and the Mountain Mines on the high side. Nevertheless, during the first 75 years work seems to have been concentrated on the Arley, Dandy, king and Yard Mines.
Under the NCB the Yard, Dandy and Lower Mountain Mines were worked, but the colliery closed March 6th 1949. Two areas of Dandy Mine on the edge of its take were worked from the two Salterford Drift.
The Towneley Desmesne shafts were used for pumping until the closure of Bank Hall in March 1971.
Three other satellite pits at Towneley, the Dyneley Knoll, Boggart and Park Pits, were closed by the NCB, which probably never worked them. They were abandoned in March 1949.
Further reading:
- Nadin, J. 1997 The Coal Mines of East-Lancashire (British Mining No.58, NMRS)
- Williamson, I.A. 1999 “The Burnley Coalfield” British Mining No.63, NMRS, pp.5-27
