Cross Hands Colliery

Overview

One of the most productive anthracite mines in the valley, opened by Norton and Co. in 1869 and worked over many years through seven seams — Green, Braslyd, Trichwart, Big Vein, Stanllyd, Pumquart and Gras. It combined drifts with a pit shaft and had extensive screens and railway sidings. Notably, and unlike nearby Great Mountain, it had no trouble with outbursts of methane and fine coal dust. It employed 859 men at its peak in 1923 and closed in 1962.

History

Norton and Co. opened the Crosshands colliery in 1869, and it became one of the most productive mines in the valley. By 1880 another partner had joined and the company was called Llannon, Norton and Co. The Inspector of Mines list for 1896 gives the owner as Crosshands Colliery Co. Ltd, with a workforce of 113 men. By 1918 the owners were Cleeves’ Western Valleys Anthracite Collieries Ltd and 638 people were employed. A list of 1923 records 859 men at the pit and slant, producing from the Pumpquart, Triquart, Gras, Charcoal, Stanllyd, Green and Big Vein seams — the colliery’s peak. It later came under Amalgamated Anthracite Collieries Ltd, which employed 547 here in 1945. In 1960, with a workforce of 378, the mine produced 53,371 tons. It closed in 1962, and with it the collieries of the village.

Geology

The South Wales anthracite district in the Gwendraeth valley. Over many years the mine exploited seven seams of anthracite — the Green, Braslyd, Trichwart, Big Vein, Stanllyd, Pumquart and Gras — and although large areas of the Big Vein and Pumquart were worked, there were no problems with outbursts of methane and fine coal dust, unlike the nearby Great Mountain colliery.

Workings

A substantial undertaking incorporating both drifts and a pit shaft, with extensive screens and railway sidings. The 1923 returns record men working at both the pit and the slant.

Closure

The mine closed in 1962; by that year the village’s collieries had all closed.

What remains

No description of the present-day site has been established from the sources read.

No surviving structure has been identified.

Related mines

• Emlyn Colliery — Emlyn’s men came here: when Emlyn Colliery at Penygroes closed in March 1939, most of its workforce went to Cross Hands, a few miles away in the same anthracite district.

Nearby mines

• Emlyn Colliery — 2.8 km E
• Wernos Colliery — 6.6 km E
• Gwendraeth Colliery — 6.8 km SW
• Ammanford Colliery — 6.9 km E
• Betws Colliery — 7.4 km E

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.

• Norton and Co. opened the Crosshands colliery in 1869, and the mine became one of the most productive in the valley. ^1,2
• Over a period of many years the mine exploited seven seams of anthracite: the Green, Braslyd, Trichwart, Big Vein, Stanllyd, Pumquart and Gras. ¹
• Although large areas of the Big Vein and Pumquart were worked, there were no problems with outbursts of methane gas and fine coal dust, unlike nearby Great Mountain. ¹
• By 1880 another partner had joined the company, which was then called Llannon, Norton and Co. The Inspector of Mines list of 1896 gives Crosshands Colliery Co. Ltd as owner with 113 men. By 1918 the owners were Cleeves’ Western Valleys Anthracite Collieries Ltd, and the colliery later came under Amalgamated Anthracite Collieries Ltd. ¹
• A list of 1923 records 859 men employed at the pit and slant, producing from the Pumpquart, Triquart, Gras, Charcoal, Stanllyd, Green and Big Vein seams. Amalgamated Anthracite employed 547 in 1945, and in 1960 a workforce of 378 produced 53,371 tons. ^1,2

Photographs & further reading

Sources

1. (secondary) Crosshands Colliery — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (secondary) Cross Hands — Wikipedia

Record created: 8 September 2026 · Last researched: 8 September 2026