Chancellorville Mine

Also known as	Chancellorsville
Location	Winton West Mains, Pencaitland parish, East Lothian — 55.9188, -2.9185 (approximate)
Commodity	Coal
Type	Coal
Worked	July 1971–May 1979
Maximum depth	Unknown.

Overview

A small private coal mine at Winton West Mains in Pencaitland parish, East Lothian, worked under National Coal Board licence from July 1971 to May 1979 in the Diamond seam; it was the last mine to produce coal in the parish.

History

Chancellorville, also spelled Chancellorsville, was a small private coal mine at Winton West Mains in Pencaitland parish, on the eastern edge of the Lothian coalfield. The John Gray Centre's history of the parish records that it was opened privately by a Mr Stein in the 1970s and closed after a short period of working under great difficulties, and that it was the last mine to produce coal in Pencaitland parish. The Fourth Statistical Account of East Lothian lists Chancellorsville among the small mines worked under licence from the National Coal Board after nationalisation, with the licensee given as Gunn/Beattie, opened in July 1971 and closed in May 1979: a working life of nearly eight years against the parish history's short period. The Coal Authority holds abandonment plans of its No. 1 and No. 2 workings, both in the Diamond seam and both dated 1979. The Diamond seam had been worked locally before: the Coal Authority also holds a 1962 plan of it at the National Coal Board's Winton mine, which the Statistical Account lists as working from 1949 to 1962.

Geology

Worked the Diamond seam of the Lothian coalfield.

Workings

Two workings, recorded as No. 1 and No. 2, both in the Diamond seam.

Closure

Closed in May 1979. The parish history says it closed after a short period of working under great difficulties.

What remains

Unknown.

Redevelopment

Unknown.

Nearby mines

Pencaitland Colliery — 0.8 miles (1.3 km) S
Elphingstone Colliery — 1.1 miles (1.8 km) W
Bellyford Mine — 1.5 miles (2.3 km) W
Fleets Colliery — 1.7 miles (2.7 km) NW
Tynemount Colliery — 1.8 miles (2.9 km) SW

Straight-line distance, within 9 miles (15 km). Show on the map.

What's uncertain

Points where sources disagree or the record could not be settled; both accounts are kept. All open questions in the archive.

It closed after a short period of working under great difficulties. (disputed) ¹
It closed in May 1979, nearly eight years after opening. (disputed) ^2,3

Recorded claims

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

Chancellorville Mine at Winton West Mains was opened privately by a Mr Stein in the 1970s. ¹
Chancellorsville was worked under licence from the National Coal Board by Gunn/Beattie from July 1971 to May 1979. ²
It closed after a short period of working under great difficulties. (disputed) ¹
It closed in May 1979, nearly eight years after opening. (disputed) ^2,3
It was the last mine to produce coal in Pencaitland parish. ¹
Its No. 1 and No. 2 workings were in the Diamond seam; abandonment plans of both are dated 1979. ^3,4

Sources

(secondary) Pencaitland (parish history) — John Gray Centre (East Lothian Council)
(secondary) Coal industry: an overview, appendices — East Lothian Fourth Statistical Account
(primary) BGS mine plans: Chancellorsville, No.1 Diamond seam (MRA catalogue S756) — British Geological Survey / Mining Remediation Authority
(primary) BGS mine plans: Chancellorsville, No.2 Diamond seam (MRA catalogue S756) — British Geological Survey / Mining Remediation Authority
(primary) BGS mine plans: Winton, No.1 Diamond seam (MRA catalogue S434) — British Geological Survey / Mining Remediation Authority

Record created: 5 October 2026 · Last researched: 16 October 2026