Cincoed Colliery

Overview

A small house-coal level at Cwm Philkins, Penmaen, near Oakdale in the Sirhowy Valley, named after the farm it worked under, opened about 1915 and given up in 1940; a New Cincoed level nearby was worked under Coal Board licence from 1950 until 1963.

History

Cincoed, also written Kingcoed, was a small level at Cwm Philkins, Penmaen, near Oakdale in the Sirhowy Valley, named after the farm under which it worked. It was opened about 1915 by Stephens and Cousins, who formed the Kingcoed Colliery Company of Swansea; it employed five men in 1915, 24 the next year, 36 in 1918 and 88 in 1920. By 1921 Bush Collieries Limited owned it and abandoned the Mynyddislwyn Rider seam that year, and in 1924 it belonged to the Llwyn Glo Colliery Company. It worked both the Mynyddislwyn and Big Rider seams for house coal. In 1938 it was listed under L. Watkins of Blackwood with four men underground and one at the surface, but work had been discontinued, and the Rider seam was abandoned in 1940. In 1950 a New Cincoed level was opened a little to the north under a Coal Board licence issued to Leonard Clapham of Pontllanfraith, working the Mynyddislwyn Rider seam for manufacturing and gas coal with five to eight men. Clapham held it alone until 1962, when a new licence included S. W. Evans and L. J. Lewis, and it was abandoned on 30 April 1963 under the name New Kincoed. The pulled-in entrance and lorry loading bay of New Cincoed are still visible, and a water and ventilation adit of the old level was photographed in 2006.

Geology

South Wales Coal Measures: the Mynyddislwyn seam and its Rider (Big Rider), worked for house coal.

Workings

A small level (adit) with a water and ventilation adit, worked 1915-40; New Cincoed, a separate level a little to the north, worked under licence 1950-63.

Closure

The old level's Rider seam was abandoned in 1940. New Cincoed was abandoned on 30 April 1963, though one account has it closing around 1961.

What remains

The pulled-in entrance and lorry loading bay of New Cincoed are visible, and a water and ventilation adit of the old level was photographed in 2006.

Collapsed level entrance, lorry loading bay and a water and ventilation adit.

Redevelopment

Unknown.

What's uncertain

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

• New Cincoed was abandoned on 30 April 1963, listed as New Kincoed. (disputed) ³
• New Cincoed closed around 1961. (disputed) ²

Recorded claims

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

• Cincoed was opened about 1915 by Stephens and Cousins, who formed the Kingcoed Colliery Company of Swansea; it employed 25 men underground and 11 at the surface in 1918. ^1,2
• By 1921 Bush Collieries Limited owned it and abandoned the Mynyddislwyn Rider seam that year. ^1,2
• In 1938 it was owned by L. Watkins of Blackwood, with four men underground and one at the surface, but work had been discontinued; the Rider seam was abandoned in 1940. ^1,2
• New Cincoed was started in 1950 under a licence issued to Leonard Clapham from 1 April 1950, and worked the Mynyddislwyn Rider seam. ^1,3
• New Cincoed was abandoned on 30 April 1963, listed as New Kincoed. (disputed) ³
• New Cincoed closed around 1961. (disputed) ²

Sources

1. (secondary) Cincoed Colliery — Northern Mine Research Society
2. (secondary) Bush Level Crymlyn (and Cincoed Colliery) — Welsh Coal Mines
3. (secondary) Welsh Coal Mines forum: New Cincoed Level — Welsh Coal Mines
4. (primary) BGS mine plans: New Cincoed, Mynyddislwyn and Rider Vein — British Geological Survey / Mining Remediation Authority

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