Cwmnantygroes Colliery

Overview

A level at Abertillery, one of the first to work the Tillery (Brithdir) seam, open from about 1840 and an early adopter of longwall working with a 900-yard face in 1857; it was down to six men by 1908.

History

Cwmnantygroes level, in the Ebbw Fach valley at Abertillery, was one of the earliest workings of the Tillery or Brithdir seam in the district. It was driven to the rise of the seam from its outcrop, at right angles to the run of the valley, and at first worked by pillar and stall. In 1857 longwall working was introduced on a face 900 yards long: main headings were driven up the rise with cross headings every 50 yards to either side, stall roads opened from the cross headings 20 yards apart, and as the main headings advanced, new cross headings were driven and the old stalls cut off one by one. The seam here was 8 inches of coal, 8 of stone, 8 more of coal, 9 of clod and 32 of coal. In October 1857 John Pope, a 22-year-old collier, was killed by a fall of coal from the roof; the owners at that date were T. P. and D. Price of Tillery. Clapp and Williams are recorded as owners from about 1840 into the 1890s, with P. A. Williams as manager in 1878 and E. R. Lewis in 1888-96. In 1896 the level employed 24 men underground and six at the surface; by 1908 there were only six. In November 1890 Charles Herbert, aged 23, had his foot crushed by trams, walked home, and died of lockjaw on the 15th.

Geology

South Wales Coal Measures: the Tillery (Brithdir) seam, in section 8 in coal, 8 in stone, 8 in coal, 9 in clod and 32 in coal.

Workings

A level driven to the rise from the seam's outcrop, worked by pillar and stall and from 1857 by longwall on a 900-yard face with main and cross headings.

Closure

Worked into the 1890s; only six men were employed in 1908, the last record.

What remains

Unknown.

Redevelopment

Unknown.

Related mines

• Penybont Colliery — Both Abertillery workings of T. P. and D. Price in the 1850s (Healey Hero; NMRS).

What's uncertain

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

• In 1857 the colliery's owners were T. P. and D. Price of Tillery. (disputed) ³
• Cwmnantygroes was owned by Clapp and Williams from about 1840 to the 1890s. (disputed) ¹

Recorded claims

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

• Cwmnantygroes was one of the earliest workings of the Tillery (Brithdir) seam in the Abertillery area, worked from about 1840 to the 1890s. ¹
• In 1857 longwall working was introduced at the level on a coalface 900 yards long. ¹
• On 22 October 1857 John Pope, a 22-year-old collier, was killed at Cwmnantygroes by a fall of coal from the roof. ^2,3,1
• In 1857 the colliery's owners were T. P. and D. Price of Tillery. (disputed) ³
• Cwmnantygroes was owned by Clapp and Williams from about 1840 to the 1890s. (disputed) ¹
• In 1896 it employed 24 men underground and 6 at the surface; by 1908 only six men were employed. ¹

Sources

1. (secondary) Cwmnantygroes Colliery — Northern Mine Research Society
2. (secondary) Welsh Coal Mines: fatalities 1857 — Welsh Coal Mines
3. (secondary) Healey Hero: mining victims 1850-1859, P (John Parry, Ynyshir, 18 March 1857) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining victims lists)
4. (primary) BGS mine plans: Tillery Colliery, Cwmnantygroes and unnamed levels — British Geological Survey / Mining Remediation Authority

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