Kells Pit, Whitehaven

Overview

A Lowther coal-drawing pit at Kells, south of Whitehaven, sunk in Carlisle Spedding's development of the Howgill Colliery. Its Heslop winding engine of the 1790s, the last of its type, survives in the Science Museum's collection.

History

Kells Pit was first sunk as part of the agent Carlisle Spedding's great development of the Lowthers' Howgill Colliery on the cliffs south of Whitehaven, and was probably joined to the waggonway between 1774 and 1781, when the Croft Waggonway was built. In 1781 it was one of the four coal-drawing pits, with Duke, King and Croft.

A winding engine on Adam Heslop's design, the first on the Howgill Colliery, was put up at Kells in the 1790s; the Science Museum dates it to about 1795, the Whitehaven Coast survey to 1793. Heslop's patent of 1790 paired a high-pressure cylinder with a second, condensing cylinder at the other end of the beam, a local answer to Watt's separate condenser, and the engines were made at Lowca and Seaton near Workington. The Kells engine was in use in 1815, later worked at other pits, last at Low Wreah, and was given by the Earl of Lonsdale to the Patent Office Museum, now the Science Museum, as the last surviving Heslop engine.

An explosion at Kells killed five in 1819. When the coal-drawing pits were reduced to Wellington and Croft in the late 1840s, the Kells shaft was kept for ventilation, and a fan was later built there, probably as the upcast for Croft. The Ordnance Survey marked it 'Kell's Pit (Old Coal Pit)'. The site is now largely built over, with a few wall stubs visible.

Geology

The Cumberland Coal Measures of the Whitehaven field, worked from the Howgill Colliery's cliff-top pits.

Workings

A coal-drawing shaft wound from the 1790s by a Heslop engine; joined to the Croft Waggonway and later the Croft Incline; later an upcast ventilation shaft with a fan.

Closure

Unknown.

What remains

A few wall stubs are visible; the site is largely built over.

Redevelopment

The site is largely built on.

Related mines

• Croft Pit, Whitehaven — Served by the Croft Waggonway and Incline; Kells later worked as the upcast for Croft.
• Duke Pit — With Duke, King and Croft, one of the Howgill Colliery's coal-drawing pits in 1781.
• Saltom Colliery — Both Lowther pits of the Howgill Colliery on the Whitehaven cliffs.

What's uncertain

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

• The Heslop engine at Kells was erected in 1793. (disputed) ¹

Recorded claims

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

• Kells Pit was first sunk as part of Carlisle Spedding's development of the Howgill Colliery and was a coal-drawing pit in 1781. ¹
• A Heslop winding engine was erected at Kells Pit about 1795 and survives in the Science Museum's collection. ^1,2
• The Heslop engine at Kells was erected in 1793. (disputed) ¹
• An explosion at Kells killed five in 1819. ¹
• The Ordnance Survey County Series marks 'Kell's Pit (Old Coal Pit)' at about NX 9680 1661. ³

Photographs & further reading

Sources

1. (primary) Whitehaven Coast Archaeological Survey, including Appendix 3: Duke Pit fanhouse (Simon Chapman) — Cranstone Consultants and Ironbridge Archaeology, for the National Trust
2. (primary) Heslop's winding and pumping engine, 1795 — Science Museum Group
3. (secondary) Old Cumbria Gazetteer: Kells Pit, Whitehaven — Lakes Guides

Record created: 3 October 2026 · Last researched: 4 October 2026