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.

What remains

Unknown.

Related mines

• Dowlais Ironworks — One of the many Dowlais Iron Company levels that fed the Dowlais Ironworks with iron ore and coal.

Nearby mines

• Blaen Rhas Colliery — 0.3 km SW
• Fochriw Colliery — 0.4 km S, Caerphilly
• North Tunnel Colliery — 0.4 km NW
• Morgan's Colliery — 0.5 km W
• Pant-y-Waun Colliery — 0.6 km S

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.

• 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

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