Blaen Dowlais Colliery

Overview

An obscure Dowlais Iron Company level worked for ironstone and coal, one of scores driven to exploit the vast reserves that let Dowlais grow into the largest ironworks in the world.

History

Blaen Dowlais Colliery was an obscure little mine worked by the Dowlais Iron Company for both ironstone and coal, abandoned in May 1924. It was one of scores of small levels the company drove to exploit the coal reserves that outcropped around its works — a supply so abundant that, by 1845, the Dowlais Iron Works employed 7,000 workers and produced 140,000 tons of coal and 70,000 tons of iron a year, making it the largest ironworks in the world at the time. Despite this vast demand for its own use, the company still leased areas of its coal reserves to the neighbouring Penydarren Iron Works.

Blaen Dowlais was among the pits — named alongside Black Ball, Brewhouse, Buxton's, Carno, Coslet, Cwmcenol, Morgan's, Pant-y-Waun, Penyard, several Penydarren pits, Pen-yr-Heol, Price's, Rhas Las, Tyla Dowlais and Vanwain — in a separate account of the wider "Dowlais Collieries" complex, all worked for coal and ironstone and abandoned together that same month. The level appears by name on the Dowlais Iron Company's combined abandonment plans, held by the Mining Remediation Authority alongside those of Buxtons, Blaen Race, Pantywain and Carno.

Workings

A small level worked for ironstone and coal, part of the wider Dowlais Collieries complex.

Closure

Abandoned in May 1924 together with the other Dowlais Iron Company levels.

Related mines

• Dowlais Ironworks — One of the scores of small Dowlais Iron Company levels driven to exploit the coal reserves outcropping around the Dowlais Ironworks.

Recorded claims

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

• An obscure little mine worked by the Dowlais Iron Company for ironstone and coal, abandoned in May 1924. ¹
• The Dowlais Iron Works' vast coal demand, met by scores of small levels like this one, supported 7,000 workers and 140,000 tons of coal and 70,000 tons of iron production a year by 1845, making it the largest ironworks in the world; the company still leased reserves to the neighbouring Penydarren works. ¹
• Named among the pits making up the wider Dowlais Collieries complex, all worked for coal and ironstone and abandoned together in May 1924. ²
• The Mining Remediation Authority's Dowlais abandonment plan SWR1612 names Blaen Dowlais among the workings it covers, with Buxtons, Cwmcenal Meadow, Blaen Race, Pantywain, the Lower Four Feet and Carno. ³

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
3. (primary) DOWLAIS /YARD BALANCE /PEN-Y-WAIN FAWR /BLIND BALANCE/ TYLA DOWLAIS/ BUXTONS/ CWMCENAL MEADOW/ BLAEN DOWLAIS /BLAEN RACE/ PANTYWAIN/ LOWER FOUR FEET /CARNO /RACE LACE/ NO.1 MINE /NEW LOWER FOUR FEET / — British Geological Survey / Mining Remediation Authority

Record created: 15 September 2026 · Last researched: 24 September 2026