Old Durham Colliery

Overview

The Marquess of Londonderry's colliery on the Old Durham estate beside the Wear, east of Durham, sunk to the Hutton in 1848 and opened in 1849; its hewers struck in 1851, and its seams were given up in 1876 and 1883.

History

Old Durham Colliery lay beside the Wear near Shincliffe Mill, about a mile and a half east-south-east of Durham, on the Old Durham estate. Boring there had proved the Hutton seam by 1801. The colliery was sunk from the surface to the Hutton in 1848, passing the Low Main at 82 feet and reaching the Hutton, five feet thick, at 173 feet 8 inches; the surface stands about 120 feet above sea level. It was opened in 1849 by the Marquess of Londonderry, whose pit there was the Lord Ernest Pit.

In November 1851 its hewers struck, with those of Lord Londonderry's collieries at Pittington, Broomside and Penshaw, against working the coal by "plug and feather", wedging the undercut coal down instead of blasting it. In 1875 a boring in the upcast shaft, below the Hutton, proved the Brockwell seam.

The Hutton was abandoned on 15 September 1876 and the Low Main before November 1883; the colliery was standing in 1882, and by 1894 a directory described it as laid in. Its remaining Low Main and Busty coal was later worked from Sherburn House Colliery, and abandoned with it on 7 October 1935. Eleven deaths are recorded at the colliery between 1857 and 1878, among them boys of eleven and thirteen.

Geology

The 1848 sinking passed through clays, sandstones and shales, with the Low Main at 82 feet, the Brass Thill, and the Hutton, five feet thick, at 173 feet 8 inches. A boring of 1875 below the Hutton proved the Brockwell seam.

Workings

A shaft sunk in 1848 near Shincliffe Mill, the Lord Ernest Pit, with an upcast shaft; the Hutton and Low Main seams were worked.

Closure

The Hutton was abandoned on 15 September 1876 and the Low Main before November 1883; the last Low Main and Busty coal was worked from Sherburn House and abandoned in 1935.

What remains

Unknown.

Redevelopment

Unknown.

Related mines

• Broomside Colliery — Londonderry collieries whose hewers struck together against plug-and-feather working in 1851.
• Pittington Colliery — Londonderry collieries whose hewers struck together against plug-and-feather working in 1851.
• Sherburn House Colliery — Old Durham's last Low Main and Busty coal was worked from Sherburn House and abandoned with it in 1935.

Recorded claims

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

• Boring on the Old Durham estate had proved the Hutton seam by 1801. ¹
• Sunk from the surface to the Hutton seam in 1848, reaching it at 173 feet 8 inches. ^1,2
• Opened in 1849 by the Marquess of Londonderry, whose pit there was the Lord Ernest Pit. ^1,3
• In November 1851 the hewers struck against working the coal by plug and feather instead of blasting. ⁴
• The Hutton was abandoned on 15 September 1876 and the Low Main before November 1883. ^5,6
• Its Low Main and Busty coal was later worked from Sherburn House and abandoned on 7 October 1935. ⁵

Photographs & further reading

Sources

1. (primary) Old Durham Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
2. (primary) An Account of Strata sunk through at Old Durham Colliery, near to Shincliffe Mill, 1848 (An Account of the strata of Northumberland & Durham as proved by Borings & Sinkings, Vol. L-R, 1887, no. 1489) — North of England Institute of Mining & Mechanical Engineers, via the Durham Mining Museum
3. (secondary) Old Durham — Wikipedia
4. (primary) Strike of Pitmen (Durham Mining Museum, newspaper transcript, 1 November 1851) — Durham Mining Museum
5. (primary) Catalogue of Plans of Abandoned Mines: Old Durham Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
6. (primary) Durham Old Mine Plans (Mining Remediation Authority abandonment plan 1550, Low Main, 1883) — British Geological Survey / Mining Remediation Authority

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