Darran Colliery, Risca

Overview

A group of levels above Risca under Twmbarlwm, begun about 1812, whose main drift later fed coal and fireclay to the Darran firebrick works and was finally closed in 1942.

History

Darran Colliery, above Risca under the hill of Twmbarlwm, consisted of a series of levels first started as far back as 1812, and may at first have been called the Twmbarlwm colliery. In 1860 the coal under the Twyn Barlwm estate, about 73 acres on the rise side of the Risca Collieries and containing the Hack Vein, was offered to let, having been opened out and partly worked from the Darran Colliery. Francis Jones of the Darran Colliery died suddenly at Darran House in April 1880.

The main drift was later owned by Jane Jones of the Darran Firebrick Works, for which it supplied fireclay and coal for the kilns. In 1896 it employed 21 men raising coal and clay from the No. 1, Hard Vein and Sun seams. By 1908 the Star Brick and Tile Company had it, with only eight men; it went back to the Darran Firebrick Works Company, which employed eleven in 1918, and by 1923 it was listed as closed. W. O. Padfield later reopened it to work fireclay, and it finally closed in 1942. The drift mouth, with an unusual small side entrance, could still be seen in 2005.

Geology

South Wales Coalfield, eastern crop: the No. 1, Hard Vein and Sun seams, with fireclay; the Hack Vein under Twyn Barlwm.

Workings

A series of levels and a main drift.

Closure

Listed as closed by 1923; reopened for fireclay by W. O. Padfield and closed in 1942.

What remains

The main drift entrance survived in 2005.

The Darran Main drift entrance, with a small side entrance.

Redevelopment

Unknown.

Related mines

• Black Vein Colliery — Risca neighbours; the Twyn Barlwm coal worked from Darran lay on the rise side of the Risca collieries.

Recorded claims

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

• Darran Colliery consisted of a series of levels first started about 1812 and may first have been named the Twmbarlwm colliery. ¹
• In 1860 the coal under the Twyn Barlwm estate, about 73 acres, was offered to let, having been partly worked from the Darran Colliery. ²
• Francis Jones of the Darran Colliery, Risca, died at Darran House in April 1880. ³
• In 1896 it employed 21 men on coal and clay from the No. 1, Hard Vein and Sun seams. ¹
• It was held by the Star Brick and Tile Co. in 1908 and the Darran Firebrick Works Co. in 1918. ¹
• Listed as closed by 1923, it was reopened by W. O. Padfield for fireclay and finally closed in 1942. ¹

Sources

1. (secondary) Darran Colliery, Risca — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (primary) Monmouthshire Merlin, 15 September 1860: To be let: coal under the Twyn Barlwm estate — Monmouthshire Merlin (Welsh Newspapers Online, National Library of Wales)
3. (primary) Monmouthshire Merlin, 30 April 1880: Risca: obituary of Francis Jones, Darran Colliery — Monmouthshire Merlin (Welsh Newspapers Online, National Library of Wales)

Record created: 18 October 2026 · Last researched: 18 October 2026