Banwaun Colliery

Overview

A Dowlais Iron Company level working ironstone and coal and fireclay seams, its 1901 closure confirmed independently by two separate NMRS accounts under two slightly different spellings of its name.

History

Banwaun — also spelled Banwain — Colliery was one of the many small levels worked by the Dowlais Iron Company to feed its works with both coal and iron. It abandoned the Rosser ironstone vein prior to 1878 and the Brass seam in 1901. A separate account of the wider Dowlais Collieries complex, spelling the name Banwain, independently confirms the 1901 closure: "Dowlais No.7, Blaen Rhas, and Banwain were worked for coal and fireclay and were abandoned in November 1901."

Geology

Worked the Rosser ironstone vein (abandoned prior to 1878) and the Brass seam, worked for coal and fireclay, abandoned November 1901.

Workings

A level working the Rosser ironstone vein and, later, the Brass seam for coal and fireclay.

Closure

Abandoned in November 1901, a date confirmed independently by two separate NMRS accounts.

What remains

Unknown.

Related mines

• Dowlais Ironworks — One of the Dowlais Iron Company levels that fed the Dowlais Ironworks with coal and iron ore.

Nearby mines

• Coslet Colliery — 0.3 km S
• Price's Colliery — 0.5 km NE
• Twyn-y-Waun Colliery — 0.7 km S
• Blaen Dowlais Colliery — 0.8 km N
• Meredith's Colliery — 0.9 km NE

Straight-line distance, within 15 km. Show on the map.

Recorded claims

Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.

• One of the many small levels worked by the Dowlais Iron Company to feed its works with coal and iron, abandoning the Rosser ironstone vein prior to 1878. ¹
• Abandoned the Brass seam, worked for coal and fireclay, in November 1901 — confirmed independently by a second NMRS account under the variant spelling Banwain. ^1,2
• Part of the wider Dowlais Collieries complex, the umbrella name for everything worked for the Dowlais Iron Works. ²

Photographs & further reading

Sources

1. (secondary) Small collieries of the Dowlais Cwmbargoed & Penydarren areas — Northern Mine Research Society
2. (secondary) Dowlais Collieries — Northern Mine Research Society

Record created: 15 September 2026 · Last researched: 15 September 2026