Manchester Coalfield

{{Short description|Coal mining region in north-west England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Use British English|date=February 2023}} [[File:AstleyGreenCollieryPithead.jpg|thumb|The pithead of Astley Green Colliery]] The '''Manchester Coalfield''' is part of the South [[Lancashire Coalfield]], the coal seams of which were laid down in the [[Carboniferous]] Period. Some easily accessible seams were worked on a small scale from the [[Middle Ages]], and extensively from the beginning of the [[Industrial Revolution]] in the early 19th century until the last quarter of the 20th century. The [[Coal Measures]] lie above a bed of [[Millstone Grit]] and are interspersed with [[sandstone]]s, [[mudstone]]s, [[shale]]s, and [[fireclay]]s. The Lower Coal Measures occupy the high ground of the [[West Pennine Moors]] above Bolton and are not worked in the Manchester Coalfield.{{sfn|Hayes|2004|p=12}} The most productive of the coal measures are the lower two thirds of the Middle Coal Measures where coal is mined from seams between the Worsley Four Foot and Arley mines. The deepest and most productive collieries were to the south of the coalfield. The coalfield is affected by the northwest to southeast aligned [[Pendleton Fault]] along the [[Irwell Valley]] and the [[Rossendale Valley]] [[anticline]]. The Coal Measures generally dip towards the south and west. Numerous other smaller faults affect the coalfield.{{sfn|Hayes|2004|p=7}} The Upper Coal Measures are not worked in the Manchester Coalfield.

The early coal pits were dug to the shallow seams where they outcropped, particularly in the Irwell Valley and in [[Atherton, Greater Manchester|Atherton]]. The early collieries were [[drift mine|adits]] or [[bell pit]]s exploiting the Worsley Four Foot Mine. Deeper mines were sunk when steam engines were developed to pump water from the shafts. Most collieries to the east of the Pendleton Fault had closed before 1929. A group of independent companies formed [[Manchester Collieries]] in 1929, to work the reserves of the coalfield.

==Coal seams of the West Manchester Coalfield== In this part of Lancashire a coal seam is referred to as a mine and the [[coal mine]] is a colliery or pit. The beds of coal in the Coal Measures are separated by layers of [[gritstone]]s, [[sandstone]]s, [[shale]]s and [[mudstone]]s of varying thicknesses. The mines were frequently named after their thickness – Yard, Three Quarters – or given local names in the areas in which they were first worked.

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |- ! Seam ! Alternative names<ref name="Hayes 2004 22">{{Harvnb|Hayes|2004|p=22}}</ref> ! Description |- |{{anchor|Worsley Four Foot mine}}'''Worsley Four Foot mine''' | Pendleton Four Foot, Parker mine in central Manchester | As the shallowest coal seam west of the Pendleton Fault, it was exploited from the early days of mining from [[bell pit]]s and was accessed at the Delph at [[Worsley]] by the [[Worsley Navigable Levels]]. It is from {{convert|3|ft|m}} to {{convert|4|ft|m}} in thickness and was used as steam coal. The mine was wet due to the permeable sandstone above it.<ref name="HayesP17">{{Harvnb|Hayes|2004|p=17}}</ref> It was worked westwards from Worsley to [[Bedford Colliery]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Geological Survey of Great Britain|1862|p=13}}</ref> This coal seam is known as the Parker mine in the central coalfield under Manchester where a series of coal seams, the Bradford Group, was worked above it.<ref name="Hayes 2004 20">{{Harvnb|Hayes|2004|p=20}}</ref> |- |{{anchor|Bin mine}}'''Bin mine''' | Top Five Quarters (Radcliffe) | The Bin Mine has a maximum height of {{convert|3|ft|9|in|m}}; its coal was mainly used by industry.<ref name="HayesP17"/> Above the Bin mine the sandstones contain a layer of [[ironstone]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Geological Survey of Great Britain|1862|p=12}}</ref> |- |{{anchor|Crombouke mine}}'''Crombouke Mine''' | Crumbouke, Shuttle (Pendlebury), Albert (Pendleton), Top Yard (Radcliffe) Roger mine (central Manchester) | The Crombouke is a seam from 2 feet 6 inches to 4 feet 6 inches of good quality coal in the west and corresponds to the Roger mine in central Manchester.<ref name="Hayes 2004 22"/> The Crombouke mine at Worsley thins out and is known as the Albert at Pendleton, The Crombouke mine at Pendleton is found below the Albert.<ref name="Geological Survey of Great Britain 1862 11">{{Harvnb|Geological Survey of Great Britain|1862|p=11}}</ref> |- |{{anchor|Brassey mine}}'''Brassey mine''' | Brassey Bottoms, Little (Newtown) | The Brassey mine is thickest around Tyldesley at {{convert|4|ft|m}} thick.<ref name="HayesP17"/> |- |{{anchor|Rams mine}}'''Rams mine''' | Seven Foot (Walkden), Six Foot (Tyldesley) | The Rams mine has a minimum thickness of {{convert|4|ft|m}} and average thickness of {{convert|6|ft|m}} west of the fault. To the east it is up to {{convert|9|ft|m}} in thickness. The high quality coal was mined to considerable depths under Pendlebury and Salford.<ref name="HayesP17"/> At Atherton it formed good quality steam coal.<ref name="Geological Survey of Great Britain 1862 11"/> |- |{{anchor|Black and White mine}}'''Black and White mine''' | Seven Foot (Tyldesley), Gingham mine (Black mine), Ten Foot (White mine) in (Bolton and Little Lever, east of fault), Great mine in Atherton | The Black and White mine is a double seam with {{convert|7|ft|5|in|m}} of workable coal. Top coal is the White mine and bottom coal is the Black mine.<ref>{{Harvnb|Hayes|2004|p=16}}</ref> It outcrops at the south east corner of Hulton Park and in [[Little Hulton]]<ref>{{Harvnb|Geological Survey of Great Britain|1862|p=10}}</ref> and across [[Gibfield Colliery|Gibfield]] and Chowbent in Atherton where it was mined in shallow ladder pits or drifts.<ref name =DaviesP21>{{Harvnb|Davies|2009|p=21}}</ref> The seam measured {{convert|7|ft|10|in|m}} in Atherton town centre.<ref>{{Harvnb|Davies|2009|p=22}}</ref> |- |{{anchor|Doe mine}}'''Doe mine''' | Dow, Yard (Tyldesley) | The Doe mine has two coals separated by a dirt parting. At Newtown the seam was liable to [[spontaneous combustion]]. The lower coals of this mine were worked around Tyldesley as the Yard mine, near Bolton the top coal was worked as the Bancroft mine.<ref name="HayesP15">{{Harvnb|Hayes|2004|p=15}}</ref> The seam outcrops on either side of the [[River Irwell]] at [[Clifton, Greater Manchester|Clifton]] where the seam was worked at the [[Ladyshore Colliery]].<ref name= "Geological Survey of Great Britain P9">{{Harvnb|Geological Survey of Great Britain|1862|p=9}}</ref> |- |{{anchor|Five Quarters mine}}'''Five Quarters mine''' | Yard (Atherton) | This seam was worked extensively east of the Irwell Valley Fault around Radcliffe. The seam was split by a dirt band and the coal was used as steam and household coal.<ref name="HayesP15"/> |- |{{anchor|Hell Hole mine}}'''Hell Hole mine''' | Victoria, Foor Foot (Atherton) | This coal seam varies in thickness between {{convert|2|ft|6|in|m}} and {{convert|4|ft|m}} and the coal was used for coking and gas making and household use.<ref name="HayesP15"/> |- |{{anchor|Trencherbone mine}}'''Trencherbone mine''' | |The Trencherbone mine was extensively worked throughout the coalfield and reputedly produced the best coal. It outcropped at [[Stoneclough]] in the [[Irwell Valley]].<ref name= "Geological Survey of Great Britain P9"/> It had a thickness of {{convert|3|ft|m}} to {{convert|4|ft|m}} at Astley and Tyldesley and up to {{convert|8|ft|m}} elsewhere.<ref name="HayesP14">{{Harvnb|Hayes|2004|p=14}}</ref> The seam outcropped between Schofield Lane and Bag Lane in Atherton.<ref name =DaviesP21/> |- |{{anchor|Cannel mine}}'''Cannel mine''' | King and Cannel |The Cannel mine was on average less than one foot thick. [[Cannel coal]] burns easily with a bright light and leaves little ash. This was the lowest coal seam worked east of the Irwell Valley. Cannel was used to make coal gas.<ref name="HayesP14"/> |- |{{anchor|Sapling mine}}'''Sapling mine''' | | The Sapling mine is thickest in the west but reduces to 9 inches. The coal is poor quality but where mined was used for industrial steam raising.<ref name="HayesP13">{{Harvnb|Hayes|2004|p=13}}</ref> |- |{{anchor|Plodder mine}}'''Plodder mine''' | Ravine (Atherton) |The Plodder mine contains seams of [[fireclay]] and [[shale]]s. The coal seam was 2 feet 8 inches but thicker at Newtown. It was contaminated with [[iron pyrites]]. At Sandhole Colliery the seam was liable to [[spontaneous combustion|spontaneously combust]]. It was poor quality but used as steam coal.<ref name="HayesP13"/> |- |{{anchor|Yard mine}}'''Yard mine''' | Haigh Yard |The Haigh Yard seam had a height of {{convert|5|ft|m}} at Tyldesley. The coal seam was divided by a dirt parting of sandstone.<ref name="HayesP13"/> |- |{{anchor|Half Yard mine}}'''Half Yard mine''' | Bone | This is a thin seam of coking coal with a maximum height of 20 inches.<ref name="HayesP13"/> |- |{{anchor|Three Quarters mine}}'''Three Quarters mine''' | Smith |The Three Quarters mine had a maximum height of {{convert|2|ft|m}} and was worked, where the thickness of the seam allowed, to produce coking coal.<ref name="HayesP13"/> It was worked at Chew Moor, Deane Moor and [[Farnworth]].<ref name= "Geological Survey of Great Britain P8">{{Harvnb|Geological Survey of Great Britain|1862|p=8}}</ref> |- |{{anchor|Arley mine}}'''Arley mine''' | Dogshaw (Bury), Daubhill (Bolton) |The Arley mine is the deepest of the seams of the Middle Coal Measures. It outcropped at [[Red Moss, Greater Manchester|Red Moss]] near [[Blackrod]] where it was {{convert|2|ft|m}} thick, and at Chew Moor, [[Westhoughton]] and Daubhill, Bolton.<ref name= "Geological Survey of Great Britain P8"/> Its average thickness was {{convert|3|ft|m}} to {{convert|4|ft|m}}. It produced excellent quality coal for coking, house and steam coal. The Arley mine was worked throughout the coalfield and around Tyldesley was a hot mine.<ref name="HayesP13"/> |- |}

==Central Manchester Coalfield==

The eastern part of the coalfield under Manchester is isolated from the rest. The sequence of coal seams corresponds more closely with that of the [[Oldham Coalfield]] than the rest of the Manchester Coalfield. Workable seams are close to the surface and coal from the deep Roger mine was considered to be of the highest quality. The Upper Coal Measures above the Worsley Four Foot mine, known as the Parker mine, are worked in this part of the coalfield and known as the [[Bradford Colliery|Bradford]] Group, above which is the [[Ardwick]] Group.<ref name="Hayes 2004 20"/>

The coal seams of the Bradford Group are the Two Foot, Doctor, New, Yard, Bradford Foor Foot, Three Quarters and Charlotte mines, the Charlotte being closest to the surface. The Openshaw mine above the Charlotte was worked for fireclay. Below the Bradford Group and the Parker mine are the Top, Middle and Deep mines and {{convert|60|ft|m}} below them, the Roger mine. The Top, Middle and Deep mines correspond to the Major, Bland and Ashton Great mines in the Oldham Coalfield. The Crumbouke mine in the western coalfield is the Roger mine in central Manchester.<ref>{{Harvnb|Hayes|2004|pp=21–22}}</ref>

==See also== *[[List of collieries in Astley and Tyldesley]]

==References==

===Citations=== {{reflist|30em}}

===Bibliography=== {{refbegin}} *{{citation |last=Davies |first=Alan|title=Atherton Collieries|publisher=Amberley|year=2009|isbn=978-1-84868-489-8}} *{{citation |last=Hayes |first=Geoffrey|title=Collieries and their Railways in the Manchester Coalfields |publisher=Landmark |year=2004 |isbn=1-84306-135-X}} *{{citation |last=Geological Survey of Great Britain |title=Memoirs, Issue 13 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=6XlMAAAAYAAJ&dq=Memoirs,+Issue+13+By+Geological+Survey+of+Great+Britain,+London.+Geological+museum&pg=PR3 |publisher=London Geological Museum |year=1862 }} {{refend}}

[[Category:Coal mines in Lancashire| ]] [[Category:Coal mining regions in England]] [[Category:Geology of England]] [[Category:History of Greater Manchester]]