Rudry Colliery

Overview

A pit and levels at Rudry near Machen, re-organised from older levels in 1878 and again about 1888 as Rudry Merthyr, which supplied coal and fireclay to the brickworks nearby and, as the Rock Vein colliery, employed 137 in 1902.

History

Rudry Colliery, at Rudry near Machen, grew out of the old Rudry and Bedwas levels opened in the 1860s. In 1878 Nicholas and Johnson re-organised them as Rudry Colliery, and about 1888 there was a second re-organisation, with a new pit and level, under the name Rudry Merthyr Colliery. It worked the Little Rock, or No. 2 Rhondda, and the Big Vein, or Four-Feet, and supplied fireclay as well as coal to the nearby brickworks.

The venture failed for financial reasons. In 1896 the No. 1 Pit belonged to the Receiver for the Mortgagees of Rudry Merthyr Colliery, employing three men underground and three on the surface under the manager A. Johnson while it restarted in the Big Vein, and the 1898 list shows the Receiver working the No. 1 Pit and Homfray's Level. The pit passed through gravel, shale, fireclay and rock to the Big Rock Vein at 254 feet 6 inches. Known also as the Rock Vein colliery, it belonged to the Rock Vein Company in 1900, when it employed 31 men, and 137 worked there in 1902. The Rudry Merthyr workings were abandoned in 1899 and the Rock Veins in 1904 and 1906, and the colliery was shown as disused on the Ordnance Survey map of 1920.

Geology

The Little Rock (No. 2 Rhondda) and Big Vein (Four-Feet) seams, with fireclay; the pit section passed gravel, shale, fireclay and rock to the Big Rock Vein at 254 ft 6 in.

Workings

A pit (No. 1) and Homfray's Level, with older levels.

Closure

The Rudry Merthyr workings were abandoned in 1899 and the Rock Vein workings in 1904 and 1906; the colliery was shown as disused on the 1920 map.

What remains

Unknown.

Redevelopment

Unknown.

Recorded claims

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

• The old Rudry and Bedwas levels were opened in the 1860s and re-organised as Rudry Colliery by Nicholas and Johnson in 1878. ¹
• About 1888 a new pit and level were opened as Rudry Merthyr Colliery. ^1,2
• In 1896 the No. 1 Pit belonged to the Receiver for the Mortgagees of Rudry Merthyr Colliery. ¹
• It supplied fireclay and coal to the nearby brickworks. ¹
• The Rudry Merthyr workings were abandoned in 1899, and the Rock Vein workings at Garth Rudry in 1904 and 1906. ^2,3,4
• The pit section reached the Big Rock Vein at 254 feet 6 inches. ¹

Photographs & further reading

Sources

1. (secondary) Welsh Coal Mines: Pentwyn and Rudry collieries — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (primary) BGS / Mining Remediation Authority mine plan: RUDRY MERTHYR, CROP, HAMFRAY, Little Rock, Big, Brass, Black, Forked and Hard seams, abandoned 1899 — British Geological Survey
3. (primary) BGS / Mining Remediation Authority mine plan: ROCK VEINS (GARTH RUDRY), Little Rock and Big Rock seams, abandoned 1904 — British Geological Survey
4. (primary) BGS / Mining Remediation Authority mine plan: GARTH RUDRY, Big Rock seam, abandoned 1906 — British Geological Survey

Record created: 10 October 2026 · Last researched: 10 October 2026