Colliery Closures

East Durham Coal lay deep below the Magnesian Limestone which dominates the east of the county. Coal was first proved to exist here by the sinking of a pit at Haswell in 1811 but the first great deep pit in the region was sunk at Hetton in 1821. Sunk to a depth of 147 fathoms (over 1000ft), it became one of the most productive pits in the region as well as a focus for some of Stephenson's important locomotive developments. Monkwearmouth Colliery followed shortly afterwards and was shipping coal from 1835 with a seam 1,590 feet below the surface. Harton near South Shields became the deepest Tyne pit in 1841 (1,290 feet). Monkwearmouth, 1700 ft in 1846 was the deepest coal mine in the country.

In 1947 the coal mines of Great Britain were 'Nationalized' and came under the jurisdiction of the government controlled National Coal Board (NCB). The mines were previously been controlled by private companies. As the century progressed many coal seams were worked and several mines were declared uneconomic. Some of the major closures are listed below

1950s: Axwell Park, Bildershaw, Blaydon Burn Bessie, Blaydon Burn Mary, Castle Eden, East Hedleyhope, Greencroft Tower, Harbour House, Little Burn, Montague (Newcastle), New Brancepeth, New Delaval, New Hartley, Ramshaw, South Shildon and Throckley Isabella.

1960S: Addison Colliery, Barcus Close, Barlow Towneley, Beamish Mary, Bedlington F, Bedlington Doctor, Bowburn, Brancepeth, Brandon, Burnopfield, Cambois, Chester South Moor, Choppington A, Chopwell, Clara Vale, Crofton Mill (Blyth), Crookhall (Lanchester), Deaf Hill (Trimdon), Dean and Chapter (Ferryhill and Chilton), Dinnington, East Tanfield, East Walbottle, Esh, Hamsterley, Handenhold, Harraton, Harton, Hazlerigg, Heworth, High Marley Hill, Kimblesworth, Lambton D, Lanchester, Leasingthone, Linton, Lumley Sixth, Longhirst (Ashington), Mainsforth, Malton (Lanchester), Middridge (Ferryhill), Newbiggin, New Shildon, Pelton, Randolph, Ravensworth Anne (Gateshead), Ravensworth Park, Ravensworth Shop, Rising Sun (Wallsend), Roddymoor, Ryhope, Seghill, Sherburn Hill, South Pelaw, Staindrop Field House, Stanley Burn, Stanley Cottage, Stargate, Tanfield Lea, Thrislington, Trimdon Grange, Tudhoe Mill, Tudhoe Park, Ushaw Moor, Washington F, Waterhouses, West Auckland, West Thornley, Wheatley Hill, Whitburn, Wingate Grange and Witton.

1970S: Adventure Pit (Rainton), Bardon Mill, Bedlington A, Blackburn Fell (Gateshead), Burradon, Elemore, Fishburn, Hylton, Kibblesworth, Langley Park, Medomsley, Metal Bridge, Nettlesworth, Shotton, Silksworth, Thornley, Usworth, Washington Glebe and Whitworth Park (Spennymoor)

1980S: Ashington, Bearpark, Blackhall, Boldon, East Hetton, Eccles (Backworth), Eden and South Medomsley, Eppleton, Herrington, Horden, Houghton, Marley Hill, Sacriston, Seaham, Shilbottle, South Hetton and Woodhorn.

By the 1990s only the deep pits on the east coast remained. In County Durham Dawdon and Murton Collieries closed in 1991. It was followed by Easington in 1993 and in same year Westoe Colliery near South Shields, the last remaining colliery on Tyneside was also closed. By the middle of the year Vane Tempest Colliery at Seaham joined the list. In June 1994 Wearmouth Colliery at the mouth of the River Wear in Sunderland became the last colliery in the County Durham Coalfield to close, signalling the end of an era in the land between the Tyne and Tees. In 1997 it became Sunderland Football Club's Stadium of Light.