Ironstone

This is a short overview. For the background — history, value over time and notable mines — see Ironstone →

A sedimentary rock rich enough in iron carbonate or oxide, usually within a clay or shale matrix, to be worked as an iron ore. Mined chiefly from Coal Measures clay ironstone and the Jurassic ironstones of the Cleveland, East Midlands and southern England belt, and smelted for iron and steel production.

Mines

Show these mines on the map

Mine	Region	Worked
Aldridge Colliery	Staffordshire	13 February 1874–1930
Allanshaw Colliery	South Lanarkshire	By 1876–1942
Auchenbegg Colliery	South Lanarkshire	1837–1922
Aysdalegate Mine	North Yorkshire	From 1863–1880
Balbardie Colliery	West Lothian	1850s–By 1946
Barrwood Colliery	North Lanarkshire	to By 1912
Bellside Colliery	North Lanarkshire	By 1872–After 1924
Belmont Mine	North Yorkshire	1853 (lease)–1921 (production)
Bentley Grange Ironstone Pits	West Yorkshire	Late 12th century–By mid-15th century
Beoch Colliery	East Ayrshire	1837–March 1968
Big Pit	Torfaen	1880–1980
Billingsley Colliery	Shropshire	1794–September 1921
Binniehill Colliery	Falkirk	1840s–1896
Blairhall Colliery	Fife	1870s–May 1969
Blairmuckhill Colliery	North Lanarkshire	1905 to 1910–1959
Boghead Colliery	West Lothian	1848–c. 1920
Boglea Colliery	North Lanarkshire	By 1899–March 1962
Boosbeck Mine	North Yorkshire	1872 (sinking)–1887
Boothen Colliery	Staffordshire	from By the 1860s
Brereton Colliery	Staffordshire	By at least 1814–July 1960
Bridgeness Colliery	Falkirk	from By 1770
Brymbo Colliery	Wrexham	By 1792–1938
Buckhill Colliery	Cumbria	1873–27 November 1932
Burghlee Colliery	Midlothian	c. 1860–1964 (abandoned 1965)
Bycars Colliery	Staffordshire	By 1816–1915
Cadder Colliery	East Dunbartonshire	By 1869, possibly earlier–1920
Caedefaid Colliery	Bridgend	1863 or 1867–1908
Callendar Colliery	Falkirk	By 1855 (estate workings from 1830)–November 1959 (Policy Pit)
Carlin How Mine	North Yorkshire	1873–1924
Chaloner Ironstone Mine	North Yorkshire	1853–12 August 1939
Charity Colliery	Warwickshire	1776–13 September 1924
Chell Colliery	Staffordshire	By 1855–By 1901
Claxby Ironstone Mine	Lincolnshire	1868–1885
Clay Cross Colliery	Derbyshire	from 1840
Cleland Colliery	North Lanarkshire	from Before 1846
Cliff Mine	North Yorkshire	1860–1887 (abandoned)
Clyde Colliery, Hamilton	South Lanarkshire	1890–1930
Clynmill Colliery	Merthyr Tydfil	Before 1850–1921
Coegnant Colliery	Bridgend	1882–1981
Coursington Colliery	North Lanarkshire	By 1849–1926
Cragg's Hall Mine	North Yorkshire	1871–1893
Craigend Colliery, Maddiston	Falkirk	1854–November 1935
Crofthead Colliery	West Lothian	1840s–1923
Cwmaman Colliery	Rhondda Cynon Taf	1849 (sinking)–1935
Cwmbyrgwm Colliery	Torfaen	Before 1820–28 March 1931 (last level)
Cwmdu Colliery, Merthyr Tydfil	Merthyr Tydfil	1820s–1830s–March 1924
Cwmsychan Colliery	Torfaen	c. 1860–By 1932
Dark Lane Colliery	Shropshire	1850–c.1900 (pumping until 1911)
Darngavil Colliery	North Lanarkshire	from By 1868
Dockra Ironstone Pit	North Ayrshire	1896–1918 (or 1921)
Duntilland Colliery	North Lanarkshire	1865–April 1951
East Ardsley Colliery	West Yorkshire	1872 or 1876 (sources differ)–1966 or January 1968 (sources differ)
Ellistown Colliery	Leicestershire	1874–1991
Faskine Colliery	North Lanarkshire	By 1835–After 1933
Fauldhouse Colliery	West Lothian	By 1855–c. 1896
Fenton Park Colliery	Staffordshire	1728–c. 1879–c. 1879
Ffrwd Colliery	Wrexham	c. 1790s (estate pits)–1904
Flockton Collieries	West Yorkshire	1515–1894
Gadlys Colliery	Rhondda Cynon Taf	c. 1802 (by 1844 by one account)–1902
Gardrum Colliery	Falkirk	By 1854–18 September 1920
Garn Colliery, Blaenavon	Torfaen	c. 1839–1963 or 1966
Gin Pit, Maesteg	Bridgend	Probably early 1840s–1875
Glaisdale Ironstone Mine	North Yorkshire	Mid-1860s–1876
Glasshouse Colliery	Staffordshire	c.1855–December 1960
Goldsborough Ironstone Mine	North Yorkshire	About 1910–1915
Golynos Colliery	Torfaen	By 1842–1909
Gospel Oak Colliery	West Midlands	c. 1858–1860–1910
Great Wyrley Colliery	Staffordshire	Working by 1872 (1806 per museum)–1925
Greenrigg Colliery	West Lothian	1905–1960
Greetwell Ironstone Mines	Lincolnshire	c. 1873–1939
Hawkins Colliery	Staffordshire	c. 1840–April 1960
Henwaun Colliery	Blaenau Gwent	Early 1850s (1856 by another account)–1922
Hillhouserigg Colliery	North Lanarkshire	1850–April 1949
Holditch Colliery	Staffordshire	1912–1989 or 1990
Holly Bank Colliery	Staffordshire	c. 1850 (as Essington Wood)–December 1952
Homer Hill Colliery	West Midlands	c.1865–March 1928
Huntcliffe Mine	North Yorkshire	1871–22 September 1906
Kames Colliery	East Ayrshire	1799 (as Kames Colliery, from 1870)–1968
Kingseat Colliery	Fife	c. 1866–1910
Kippsbyre Colliery	North Lanarkshire	By 1836–1955
Kirkleatham Ironstone Mine	North Yorkshire	1872–31 December 1886
Legbrannock Colliery	North Lanarkshire	By 1860–After 1920
Longacres Mine	North Yorkshire	1865 (lease)–1954
Lower Deep Colliery	Blaenau Gwent	Early 19th century or 1860–1 September 1923
Lower Varteg Colliery	Torfaen	1898–26 January 1957
Lumphinnans No 1 Colliery	Fife	1826 (first pits)–25 January 1957
Lumpsey Mine	North Yorkshire	from 1880 or 1882 (sources differ)
Marehay Colliery	Derbyshire	By 1837–After 1923
Meiklehill Colliery	East Dunbartonshire	By 1866–1923
Muirkirk Collieries	East Ayrshire	1787–1923
Muldron Ironstone Pits	West Lothian	After 1855–c.1885
Nethercroy Colliery	North Lanarkshire	c.1890–1914
Nettleton Top Mine	Lincolnshire	1934–1968
Oakley Colliery	Fife	from 1893 (production)
Orbiston Colliery	North Lanarkshire	By 1873–1925
Palacecraig Colliery	North Lanarkshire	1854–1880
Parkhead Colliery	North Lanarkshire	c. 1860–1925
Pen-ffordd-goch Ironstone Scours	Blaenau Gwent	At least the 17th century–By 1817 (scouring)
Pentrich Colliery	Derbyshire	By c.1750–1946
Pochin Colliery	Blaenau Gwent	From 1876 (sinking)–1964
Pudley Hill Colliery	Shropshire	1829–By 1914
Racecourse Colliery, Hanley	Staffordshire	c. 1870–1941
Rankinston Colliery	East Ayrshire	By 1880–1913 (ironstone workings abandoned)
Robroyston Colliery	Glasgow	to By 1933
Rosehall Colliery	North Lanarkshire	1855 (deaths recorded from 1853)–September 1940
Silverdale Colliery	Staffordshire	1830–December 1998
Slapewath Ironstone Mine	North Yorkshire	1864–1906
Sneyd Colliery	Staffordshire	Early 19th century–July 1962
South Skelton Mine	North Yorkshire	1865 (lease)–1954
Spa Mine	North Yorkshire	1864–1886 (lease ran to 1904)
Spa Wood Mine	North Yorkshire	1853 (lease)–1930
Spindleside Colliery	North Lanarkshire	By 1865–1932 (last workings abandoned)
Springwell Pit, Dawley	Shropshire	to About 1880
Stafford Colliery	Staffordshire	1873–January 1969
Stafford Colliery, Priorslee	Shropshire	By 1884–After 1915
Stanghow Mine	North Yorkshire	1871 (sinking)–1921
Stonelaw Colliery	South Lanarkshire	1854–After 1903
Torbanehill Pits	West Lothian	1850–1888
Ty Trist Colliery	Blaenau Gwent	1834–1959
Varteg Hill Colliery	Torfaen	From 1840–1947
Victoria Colliery, Biddulph	Staffordshire	From 1857–28 July 1982
Victoria Colliery, Ebbw Vale	Blaenau Gwent	1838–1929
Viewpark Colliery	North Lanarkshire	By 1897–By 1942
Waterfall Mine	North Yorkshire	1880 or 1892–1901
Waunllwyd Colliery	Blaenau Gwent	1874-76 (sinking)–30 December 1963
Wednesbury Oak Colliery	West Midlands	By 1894–1908-1909
Wellingborough Ironstone Quarries	Northamptonshire	1874–1966
West Pitcorthie Shale Mines	Fife	from 1866
Whistleberry Colliery	South Lanarkshire	By 1900–27 May 1935
Whitworth Colliery (Tredegar)	Blaenau Gwent	1876–July 1921
Wimblebury Colliery	Staffordshire	By 1894–813
Woodilee Colliery	East Dunbartonshire	1890–1930
Ysguborwen Colliery	Rhondda Cynon Taf	c.1849–1919