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Woodhorn Colliery: History of Coal Mining
Coal has probably been gathered from the North East coast for centuries, but it was not until the medieval period
that people began to mine for it seriously. Medieval and early post-medieval miners created holes called
'bell pits' - a vertical shaft dug into the ground and enlarged outwards when the coal seam was reached.
Coal was also taken from surface outcrops along riverbanks where transport by boat was easy. However, these
outcrops were quickly worked out and new workings were opened further from rivers and mined to greater depths.
Such changes demanded better transport to carry coal to the rivers and better drainage and winding machinery in
the mines. Some of the first waggonways were built in Northumberland in the early 1600s.
As the coalfields expanded in the 17th and 18th centuries so did the network of waggonways, ensuring that distant
coalmines could still operate economically. The 18th and 19th centuries saw further developments in equipment and
working practice as the demand for coal grew. The early 20th century was a time when British coal was of
international importance. The demise of deep coal mining in the later 20th century has resulted in the closure of
nearly all the region's pits, although small drift and opencast mines are still extracting coal.
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