Tommo Colliery

Overview

A Dowlais Iron Company level feeding the works with iron ore and coal, whose abandonment of two separate seams, decades apart, is confirmed independently by two separate NMRS accounts.

History

Tommo Colliery was one of the numerous levels worked by the Dowlais Iron Company to feed its works with both iron ore and coal. It abandoned the Elled, or Two-Feet-Nine, seam in May 1859 and the Upper-Four-Feet seam in February 1893.

Both dates are independently confirmed by a separate account of the wider Dowlais Collieries complex, which records that "the Brewhouse and Tommo both worked the Elled or Two-Feet-Nine seam which was abandoned in May 1859," and separately lists Tommo among the pits — with Brewhouse, Fochriw No.1, Longwork, Meredith's, Morgan's and the Penydarren and Rhas Las pits — that abandoned the Upper-Four-Feet seam in February 1893.

Geology

Worked the Elled (Two-Feet-Nine) seam (abandoned May 1859) and the Upper-Four-Feet seam (abandoned February 1893).

Workings

A level worked for iron ore and coal, working the Elled (Two-Feet-Nine) and Upper-Four-Feet seams in succession.

Closure

No final closure date is given beyond the February 1893 abandonment of the Upper-Four-Feet seam.

Related mines

• Brewhouse Colliery — Worked the Elled seam together and share abandonment plan 8195.
• Dowlais Ironworks — One of the many Dowlais Iron Company levels that fed the Dowlais Ironworks with iron ore and coal.

Recorded claims

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

• One of the numerous levels worked by the Dowlais Iron Company to feed its works with both iron ore and coal. ¹
• Abandoned the Elled (Two-Feet-Nine) seam in May 1859 and the Upper-Four-Feet seam in February 1893, both dates independently confirmed by a second NMRS account. ^1,2
• Part of the wider Dowlais Collieries complex, the umbrella name for everything worked for the Dowlais Iron Works. ²
• The Mining Remediation Authority's abandonment plans name Tommo's Level with the Pen-y-waun Fawr and Blind Balance pits on the Yard seam (SWR3127), the Tommo levels with Tricatti on the Black Vein (SWR3126), and Brewhouse and Tommo on the Elled or Two Feet seam (8195), all at two chains to the inch, with a further plan (6905) grouping Tommo among the Dowlais levels. ³

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
3. (primary) Dowlais, Pen-y-waun Fawr, Blind Balance pits and Tommo's Level: abandonment plans SWR3127 and others (BGS mine plans catalogue) — British Geological Survey / Mining Remediation Authority

Record created: 15 September 2026 · Last researched: 24 September 2026