Penyard Colliery

Overview

A Dowlais Iron Company level near the coalfield's northern outcrop, opened in 1873. Sources disagree on how long it lasted: one gives a small, early closure in 1901, the other places it within the wider Dowlais Collieries group's shared workings as late as 1924.

History

Penyard Colliery worked the coal seams of the Middle and Lower Coal Measures near their northern outcrop. Owned by the Dowlais Iron Company, it opened in 1873, employed 7 men in 1896, and was abandoned in 1901 according to one account. A separate account of the wider "Dowlais Collieries" group instead lists Penyard among the pits worked for both coal and ironstone across the whole group, not abandoned until May 1924 along with the rest of that group; within that shared working, Penyard was also among the pits that worked the Little or Seven-Feet seam, abandoned in July 1917. The two accounts are not easily reconciled: either Penyard closed in 1901 as an independent small level and something else by the same name continued within the wider group, or the 1901 date in the first account is simply wrong.

Geology

Worked coal seams of the Middle and Lower Coal Measures near the coalfield's northern outcrop; one account also has it working the Little/Seven-Feet seam, abandoned July 1917.

Workings

A level near the northern outcrop of the coalfield, working coal seams of the Middle and Lower Coal Measures.

Closure

Sources disagree sharply: one gives 1901 for a small, 7-man level; the other keeps a pit of the same name working within the wider Dowlais Collieries group until May 1924.

What remains

Unknown.

Nearby mines

• Vanwain Colliery — 0.5 km E
• Dowlais Ironworks — 0.6 km NW
• Twyn-y-Waun Colliery — 0.9 km E
• Albert Colliery — 1.0 km W
• Coslet Colliery — 1.2 km NE

Straight-line distance, within 15 km. Show on the map.

Recorded claims

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

• Opened in 1873 near the coalfield's northern outcrop, working coal seams of the Middle and Lower Coal Measures; employed 7 men in 1896. ¹
• One account gives abandonment in 1901; a separate account instead keeps Penyard within the wider Dowlais Collieries group's shared workings (including the Little/Seven-Feet seam, abandoned July 1917) until the whole group's 1924 closure. (disputed) ^1,2
• Owned by the Dowlais Iron Company throughout its documented working life. ¹

Photographs & further reading

Sources

1. (secondary) Small collieries of the Dowlais Cwmbargoed & Penydarren areas — Northern Mine Research Society
2. (secondary) Dowlais Collieries — Northern Mine Research Society

Record created: 15 September 2026 · Last researched: 15 September 2026