Brynmenyn Colliery

Overview

A colliery at Brynmenyn near Tondu, opened in 1895, that mined fireclay alongside its Rock Fawr coal and employed up to 171 men before closing in 1910; an attempt to reopen it failed in 1928.

History

Brynmenyn Colliery, near Bridgend, was opened by J. T. Salafield in 1895 with 11 men. In 1906 Solomon Andrews & Sons of Cardiff took it over, when 32 men were employed; over the next four years the numbers were 171, 146, 143 and 151.

It worked the Rock Fawr seam, but the coal there was broken by so many faults and disturbances that water percolated through and the pumps had to run continuously. In its early years fireclay was mined together with the coal, probably for the brickworks close by on the other side of the Garw river, a site since buried under a municipal refuse tip.

The colliery closed in 1910, the year of its Rock Fawr abandonment plan. Gwilym Rees, a collier of eighteen, was killed there in 1909, and William Thomas, a collier of thirty, in 1910. Electricity was installed in an attempt to reopen the mine in 1927 and 1928, but the project was abandoned in December 1928.

Geology

The Rock Fawr seam, much broken by faults and disturbances that let water through; fireclay was mined with the coal in the early years.

Workings

Pumping machinery ran continuously against water percolating through the faulted ground; electricity was installed for the 1927-28 reopening attempt.

Closure

Closed in 1910; the Rock Fawr workings were abandoned that year. A reopening attempted in 1927-28 was abandoned in December 1928.

What remains

Unknown.

Redevelopment

Unknown.

Related mines

• Coytrahen Park Colliery — Neighbours near Tondu in the Rock Fawr seam; a 1928 abandonment plan of Coytrahen Park also names Brynmenin.

Recorded claims

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

• Opened by J. T. Salafield in 1895, employing 11 men. ¹
• Solomon Andrews & Sons of Cardiff took it over in 1906, when 32 men were employed. ¹
• Fireclay was mined together with the coal in the early period. ¹
• The colliery closed in 1910; its Rock Fawr workings were abandoned that year. ^1,2
• Attempts to reopen it in 1927 and 1928 were abandoned in December 1928. ¹
• Gwilym Rees, a collier aged 18, was killed in 1909 and William Thomas, a collier aged 30, in 1910. ³

Photographs & further reading

Sources

1. (secondary) Welsh Coal Mines: Brynmenyn (Coytrahen Park and Brynmenyn collieries) — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (primary) BGS / Mining Remediation Authority mine plan: BRYNMENIN, Rock Fawr seam, abandoned 1910 — British Geological Survey
3. (secondary) NMRS coal mining accidents and deaths database: Coytrahén Park, Tondu — Northern Mine Research Society

Record created: 10 October 2026 · Last researched: 10 October 2026