Pontyclerc Colliery

Overview

A small anthracite and clay working at Pantyffynnon, just south of Ammanford, possibly opened as early as 1835 and worked on and off for a century with the Pontyclerc firebrick works beside it. It passed through the Lloyd family and several short-lived companies, employed 120 men at its peak in 1927-32, came under Amalgamated Anthracite, and closed in 1934.

History

A slant at Pontyclerc, known as Peto's slant, was recorded in 1858 working the Four Feet, Pumpquart, Rock, Little and Yard seams and clay for Peto and Betts, and may have been opened as early as 1835, the date given for the neighbouring Pont-y-clerc brickworks. David Evans owned it in 1860, David Evans and John Lloyd in 1865, and John Lloyd alone by 1870; it worked the Rock and Little Rock seams in 1866. Lloyd was bankrupt by 1871, and the works became the Pontyclerc Fire Brick Works and Anthracite Coal Company, which also failed; the works were auctioned in 1885. In 1886-87 the Lloyd Brothers of Pontyclerc owned the colliery, managed by John Lloyd, working the Rocket Vein. For decades it was tiny: three men underground and one on the surface in 1896, listed as 'opening' in 1907 and as a new opening in 1910, and by 1912 working only clay for the brickworks. It revived during the First World War under the Lloyd Brothers, with 25 men in 1918-19 and 36 in 1923, and in 1925-32 the Pontyclerc Colliery Company employed about 120. The No. 2 slant abandoned the Brynlloi seam in 1933 and the No. 1 slant the Four Feet in 1934, and the colliery, by then part of Amalgamated Anthracite, closed that year. The brickworks appears on the 1938 map but was marked disused by 1948. Its plans went to the Blaina and Raven Anthracite Collieries of Garnant.

Geology

Anthracite measures: the Four Feet, Pumpquart, Rock, Little Rock, Yard (Brynlloi), Rocket, Charcoal and Stanllyd seams, with fireclay (No. 1 and No. 2 clays) worked for bricks.

Geological setting: Sedimentary Beds and Seams (historical documentary reference)

Workings

Slants (No. 1 and No. 2, and the earlier Peto's slant) with clay levels; plans are combined with the neighbouring Pantyffynnon and Jubilee workings.

Closure

The No. 2 slant abandoned the Brynlloi seam in 1933 and the No. 1 slant the Four Feet in 1934; the colliery, then part of Amalgamated Anthracite, closed in 1934.

What remains

Unknown; no report of surviving remains found.

Unknown. Bricks stamped 'Pontyclerc', 'Lloyd Bros Pontyclerc' and possibly 'P C' survive locally.

Redevelopment

Unknown.

Related mines

• Pantyffynnon Colliery — Neighbours at Pantyffynnon; the Lloyd Brothers of Pontyclerc owned the Pantyffynnon slant in 1886-87 and the plans are combined.
• Tir-y-Dail Colliery — Neighbours at Pantyffynnon; plans combined with the Pontyclerc and Pantyffynnon workings.

Nearby mines

• Pantyffynnon Colliery — 0.4 km NE
• Wernos Colliery — 1.3 km N
• Ammanford Colliery — 1.4 km N
• Tir-y-Dail Colliery — 1.8 km N
• Bodyst Uchaf Colliery — 2.0 km NE

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

People

• David Evans · owner, 1860–1865 — Owner of Pontyclerc in 1860, and with John Lloyd in 1865.
• John Lloyd · owner, 1865–1887 — Owner of Pontyclerc from 1865 (alone by 1870) and later manager for the Lloyd Brothers.

Recorded claims

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

• Peto's slant at Pontyclerc was recorded in 1858 working five seams and clay for Peto and Betts, and was possibly opened as early as 1835. ¹
• Pont-y-clerc brickworks opened around 1835; John Lloyd owned it about 1860 and was bankrupt by 1871; the Pontyclerc Fire Brick Works and Anthracite Coal Co failed and the works were auctioned in 1885; John and Joshua Lloyd took over in 1886. ^2,3
• Manpower was 4 in 1896, 25 in 1918-19, 36 in 1923, 60 in 1925-26 and 120 in 1927-32. ¹
• In 1912 the colliery was working only clay for the Pontyclerc brickworks. ¹
• The No. 2 slant abandoned the Brynlloi seam in 1933 and No. 1 the Four Feet in 1934; the colliery became part of Amalgamated Anthracite and closed in 1934. ^1,2
• Lloyd Brothers of Pontyclerc Brick Works, Pantyffynnon, were listed among colliery undertakings in 1922. ⁴
• Abandonment plans combine Pontyclerc with the Pantyffynnon and Jubilee workings, including clay levels and 'Peto's Level'. ^5,6

Photographs & further reading

Sources

1. (secondary) Pontyclerc Colliery — Northern Mine Research Society (Ray Lawrence)
2. (secondary) The Brickworks of Wales - West Wales — Industrial Gwent (Welsh brickworks)
3. (observational) Wales K to S (Pontyclerc) — Penmorfa brick collection
4. (primary) 1922 Colliery Undertakings — Grace’s Guide to British Industrial History
5. (primary) BGS / Mining Remediation Authority mine plans: PONTYCLERC, JUBILEE, CLAY, NO.3 LEVELS — British Geological Survey / Mining Remediation Authority
6. (primary) BGS / Mining Remediation Authority mine plans: PONTYFFYNNON, JUBILEE SLANT, PONTYCLERC, OLD PONTYCLERC, LEVEL IN NO 2 CLAY, PETO'S LEVEL — British Geological Survey / Mining Remediation Authority

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