MineArchiveCwmfuwch Colliery
| Also known as | Aber No. 3 Colliery, Cwm-y-Fuwch Colliery, Cwm Llo |
|---|---|
| Location | Head of Cwm-y-Fuwch, above Ogmore Vale, Bridgend — 51.6080, -3.5190 (approximate) |
| Commodity | Coal |
| Type | Coal |
| Worked | After 1901–1935 |
| Maximum depth | Unknown. |
| Operators | Cory Brothers and Company Ltd (1901–1935) |
Overview
Cory Brothers' drifts at the head of Cwm-y-Fuwch above Ogmore Vale, opened after 1901 in the No. 2 Rhondda seam and replaced in 1935 by the Penllwyngwent slant.
History
Cwmfuwch Colliery lay at the head of Cwm-y-Fuwch, a side valley above Ogmore Vale, and was also known as Aber No. 3, or simply No. 3. It cost £18,000 to open, some time after 1901, and began as two drifts 25 yards apart into the No. 2 Rhondda seam, 33 to 42 inches thick, producing house, manufacturing and steam coal; the No. 3 Rhondda was worked as well.
It belonged to Cory Brothers, the Cardiff coal and shipping firm. In 1908 the level employed 284 men and the No. 3 another fifteen, under D. Ferguson, who was still the manager in 1935; between 1915 and 1919 the workforce held at 303. After the neighbouring Aber Colliery closed in 1914, Cwmfuwch's coal was screened and loaded at Aber's sidings.
The No. 1 abandoned the No. 3 Rhondda in 1920 and the No. 2 Rhondda in 1921, and by 1923 the slant and level were listed without men while a new drift, Cwm Llo, was driven into the No. 3 Rhondda 325 yards west of the originals. In 1935 it was worked with the new Penllwyngwent slant, the two employing 683 men; the No. 3, or Cwm Llo, abandoned the No. 3 Rhondda that year and Penllwyngwent replaced it.
Geology
South Wales coalfield: the No. 2 Rhondda seam, 33 to 42 inches thick, and the No. 3 Rhondda.
Workings
Two drifts 25 yards apart into the No. 2 Rhondda, a No. 3 slant, and from the 1920s the Cwm Llo drift into the No. 3 Rhondda, 325 yards to the west.
Closure
The No. 3 Rhondda was abandoned in 1935, when the Penllwyngwent slant replaced the colliery.
What remains
Unknown.
Redevelopment
Unknown.
Related mines
- Aber Colliery — Cwmfuwch's coal was screened and loaded at Aber's sidings; both Cory Brothers mines.
Nearby mines
- Aber Colliery — 1.0 miles (1.6 km) W
- Cambrian Colliery — 1.7 miles (2.8 km) NE, Rhondda Cynon Taf
- Wyndham Western Colliery — 1.8 miles (2.9 km) SW
- Dinas Main Colliery — 1.9 miles (3.0 km) E, Rhondda Cynon Taf
- Etna Colliery — 2.1 miles (3.4 km) SE, Rhondda Cynon Taf
Straight-line distance, within 9 miles (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.
- Cost £18,000 to open after 1901. 1
- Owned by Cory Brothers Ltd. 1
- Employed 303 men each year from 1915 to 1919. 1
- Its coal was screened and loaded at Aber Colliery after Aber closed in 1914. 2
- The No. 3 or Cwm Llo drift abandoned the No. 3 Rhondda seam in 1935. 1,3
Photographs & further reading
The Northern Mine Research Society's account of the colliery, its drifts, seams and workforce.
View sourceSources
- (secondary) Cwmfuwch Colliery — Northern Mine Research Society
- (secondary) Aber Colliery Ogmore Vale (Welsh Coal Mines) — Welsh Coal Mines
- (primary) BGS mine plans: Cwmyfuwch No 3 or Cwmllo, No 3 Rhondda, 1935 — British Geological Survey / Mining Remediation Authority
- (primary) BGS mine plans: Cwm-y-Fuwch, No 2 Rhondda — British Geological Survey / Mining Remediation Authority
- (secondary) Welsh Coal Mines fatalities, 1928 — Welsh Coal Mines
Record created: 7 October 2026 · Last researched: 7 October 2026