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.

Geology

Unknown — no specific seam is named for Blaen Dowlais itself in the sources read for this pass.

Workings

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

Closure

Abandoned in May 1924, along with the rest of the wider Dowlais Collieries complex.

What remains

Unknown.

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.

Nearby mines

• Price's Colliery — 0.6 km SE
• Meredith's Colliery — 0.7 km SE
• Banwaun Colliery — 0.8 km S
• Morgan's Colliery — 1.0 km E
• Coslet Colliery — 1.1 km S

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.

• 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

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