Mynydd Maen Colliery

Overview

A slant near the Old Furnace, Pontypool, developed from 1913 into the Meadow Vein, which took over Elled Colliery in 1924 and was closed by the National Coal Board in 1955.

History

Mynydd Maen Colliery, named after the mountain it was driven into, was a slant at the Old Furnace near Pontypool. An older mine of the same name nearby had been started by M. Charles in the 1870s and worked on and off until it was abandoned in 1924. The colliery was developed from 1913, striking the Meadow Vein a year later, and its later workings were driven east until they connected underground with Wern Hill colliery.

It employed 114 men in 1918 and 174 in 1923, producing steam coal from the Meadow Vein. In 1924 the Mynydd Maen Colliery Co. Ltd. bought Elled Colliery at Pontnewynydd and at once connected the two mines underground, using the New Elled slope as Mynydd Maen's return airway; the two were worked together, with 187 men at Mynydd Maen in 1938 and 182 at both in 1945. Two brothers were killed there by a fall of roof in December 1930 (see Disasters, below).

The National Coal Board took it over in 1947 and closed it in October 1955. Plans record the Old Coal (Five Feet) abandoned in August 1952 and the Three Quarter and Yard on 30 December 1955.

Geology

Coal Measures of the South Wales Coalfield. Developed into the Meadow Vein, struck in 1914, for steam coal; the plans also show the Old Coal (Five Feet), Three Quarter and Yard seams.

Workings

A slant driven into Mynydd Maen from 1913, with workings later extended east to connect with Wern Hill colliery and, from 1924, with Elled Colliery, whose New Elled slope became its return airway.

Closure

Closed by the National Coal Board in October 1955; the Old Coal (Five Feet) had been abandoned on 29 August 1952 and the Three Quarter and Yard were abandoned on 30 December 1955.

What remains

Unknown.

Redevelopment

Unknown.

Related mines

• Elled Colliery — The Mynydd Maen Colliery Co. bought Elled in 1924, connected the two underground and used the New Elled slope as Mynydd Maen's return airway.

Disasters & major incidents

• Mynydd Maen Colliery roof fall, 1930
  3 December 1930 · Collapse / Roof Fall · 2 fatalities
  Two brothers were killed by a 40 to 50 ton fall of roof at Mynydd Maen Colliery on 3 December 1930, after one of them pushed a 14-year-old boy clear.

Recorded claims

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

• Developed from 1913, the Meadow Vein being struck a year later. ¹
• An older Mynydd Maen mine nearby, started by M. Charles in the 1870s, was abandoned in 1924. ¹
• Later workings were developed to the east, connecting underground to Wern Hill colliery. ^1,2
• It employed 114 men in 1918, 174 in 1923 (steam coal from the Meadow Vein) and 187 in 1938. ¹
• From 1924 it was worked with Elled Colliery; in 1945 the two employed 182 men in all. ¹
• The National Coal Board closed Mynydd Maen in October 1955. ¹
• Abandonment plans record the Old Coal (Five Feet) abandoned on 29 August 1952 and the Three Quarter on 30 December 1955. ^3,4
• A plan of the Old Coal workings at Mynydd Maen Slope is held in the national museum's collection. ⁵

Photographs & further reading

Sources

1. (secondary) Welsh Coal Mines: Elled and Mynydd Maen — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (primary) BGS mine plan: Mynydd Maen and New Elled Collieries, Wern Hill Collieries (Old Coal) — British Geological Survey / Mining Remediation Authority
3. (primary) BGS mine plan: Mynydd Maen (Three Quarter seam, abandoned 1955) — British Geological Survey / Mining Remediation Authority
4. (primary) BGS mine plan: Mynydd Maen (Old Coal (Five Feet) seam, abandoned 1952) — British Geological Survey / Mining Remediation Authority
5. (secondary) Mynydd Maen Slope, plan (Old Coal workings) — Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales

Record created: 8 October 2026 · Last researched: 9 October 2026