Trimdon Colliery

Overview

The pit of New Trimdon village in east Durham, sunk from 1843, abandoned when its lease ran out in 1893 and reopened by Walter Scott; its shaft ended as part of the downcast for Trimdon Grange.

History

Trimdon Colliery gave its name to the village of New Trimdon, or Trimdon Colliery, in Trimdon township, seven and a half miles south-east of Durham. The Durham Mining Museum dates it from 1840 and Whellan's directory of 1894 says it was opened about fifty years before. Coal was first shipped in 1843, and on 8 June 1843 the sinking to the Main Coal began; in 1845 a borehole below it proved the Harvey. The section records the Five Quarter, 5 ft 2 in, at about 396 feet, the Main Coal, nearly five feet, at about 497, the Low Main at about 638, the Hutton at about 767 and the Harvey at about 908 feet.

Its first owners are given as Joseph Smith, T. C. Gibson and partners, and the Thornley Coal Company held it in the 1850s; the museum also records Thomas Wood, Gully and Burrell then, and T. Wood and Co. in the 1860s. Three men were killed on 25 November 1846 when the rope broke and they fell down the shaft, and three young putters by an explosion of gas on 26 January 1852. The Trimdon Coal Company had the colliery from the 1870s, employing 394 in 1883; Whellan's directory of 1894 still names it, with the Main seam five feet thick and the Low seam, 3 ft 8 in, at 120 fathoms. On 13 May 1893 the Five Quarter, Main, Low Main and Harvey were abandoned on the expiry of the lease.

Walter Scott Ltd reopened it, with 142 men in 1896 and 370 in 1905 working the Low Main and Main Coal for household, manufacturing and steam coal. By 1910 only 14 remained, and from 1923 its shaft served as part of the downcast for Trimdon Grange Colliery, with a single man kept there into 1930. The Five Quarter, Hutton, Low Main and Main were finally abandoned with Trimdon Grange's on 23 August 1938, and its old shafts are marked on the map of 1939.

Geology

East Durham coalfield, about 502 ft above sea level: the Three Quarter and Five Quarter (5 ft 2 in) at about 395-401 ft, the Main Coal (4 ft 10 in) at about 497 ft, the Low Main (3 ft) at about 638 ft, the Hutton at about 767 ft and the Harvey (3 ft 6 in) at about 908 ft, proved by borehole in 1845.

Workings

The shaft sunk from June 1843 to the Main Coal, with North and South pits in 1888.

Closure

Abandoned on 13 May 1893 when the lease expired, reopened by Walter Scott Ltd, nearly idle from 1910, its shaft used as part of Trimdon Grange's downcast from 1923; the seams were abandoned on 23 August 1938.

What remains

Unknown.

Redevelopment

Unknown.

Related mines

• Trimdon Grange Colliery — From 1923 the Trimdon Colliery shaft served as part of Trimdon Grange's downcast, and their seams were abandoned on one plan in 1938; both were Walter Scott pits.

What's uncertain

Points where sources disagree or the record could not be settled; both accounts are kept. All open questions in the archive.

• Trimdon Colliery opened in 1840. (disputed) ¹
• Trimdon Colliery was opened about 1844. (disputed) ²
• The Thornley Coal Company held the colliery in the 1850s. (uncertain) ²

Recorded claims

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

• Trimdon Colliery opened in 1840. (disputed) ¹
• Trimdon Colliery was opened about 1844. (disputed) ²
• Sinking to the Main Coal began on 8 June 1843, and in 1845 a borehole below it proved the Harvey seam. ^1,3
• The Trimdon Coal Company held the colliery from the 1870s and Walter Scott Ltd from the 1890s. ^1,2
• The Thornley Coal Company held the colliery in the 1850s. (uncertain) ²
• On 13 May 1893 the Five Quarter, Main, Low Main and Harvey were abandoned on the expiry of the lease. ^1,4,5
• From 1923 the Trimdon Colliery shaft was used as part of the downcast for Trimdon Grange Colliery. ¹
• Trimdon Colliery's old shafts are noted on the map of 1939. ²

Photographs & further reading

Sources

1. (primary) Trimdon Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
2. (secondary) Durham Collieries: Trimdon Colliery (Trimdon) — Durham County Record Office
3. (primary) Trimdon Colliery: section of strata, 1843 and 1845 — Durham Mining Museum
4. (primary) Trimdon Colliery: catalogue of plans of abandoned mines — Durham Mining Museum
5. (primary) BGS mine plan: Trimdon, Low Main seam, 1893 — British Geological Survey

Record created: 6 October 2026 · Last researched: 6 October 2026