Coal Mines in Leeds

The Parksider · Post by **The Parksider** » Sun 27 Jan, 2008 10:32 pm

peterg wrote: Appleyard's Hill is the hill on Austhorpe Lane (I think that's the name) which rises up towards Austhorpe Hall (known to us as Chapman's farm, from the name of the then owner). The Shute Estate was known from the name of the builder and is that estate which stretches from Austhorpe Lane to the Ring Road. Whitkirk Cricket ground was (or still is) located behind the extension to Whitkirk Cemetry somewhere on the stretch of Selby Road covered by the ends of Knightsway, Kingsway and Queensway. I assume that going up Austorpe lane then across to Whitkirk Cricket ground you hit the Prince Arthur Pit.It's still "there" as a waste ground and trees with some uneven land and part of a spoil retaining wall. Up Hollyshaw lane on the left??????? This what you saw??????

The Parksider · Post by **The Parksider** » Sun 27 Jan, 2008 11:50 pm

chameleon wrote: Parksider - I don't know Sandway Pit in Manston but looking at the magic (!) geology map there are some shafts noted around there.The one between Manston Way and Avenue is shown as Victoria Pit, the other two simply shown as shafts. Looking again since saving the piccy, I've seen a fourth, north of Sandbed Lane and west of The Avenue in the corner of the junction and sorry - non of these are under houses - I'll keep looking though!! Dickinson has the first pit sunk at "Old manston" in 1811 dunno where that is???? Then 1827 Old george Pit which is the bottom one in your picture, Victoria pit which you name and sandbeds which is the top one in your picture.Crossgates colliery was sunk at that time and is probably in the internal car park/service area behind the Arndale.

The Parksider · Post by **The Parksider** » Mon 28 Jan, 2008 12:02 am

CMHRC list of Coal mines in 1880 has a list of mines in Leeds. many no suprise, but there was apparently a Seacroft colliery (Drat and double drat Mr. Godfrey what about sheet 203.15) which may explain the "coal road" even more, a Calverley Colliery - my goodness!! and a Potternewton Colliery!! Wonder where any of these three were.......

Post by **chameleon** » Mon 28 Jan, 2008 12:42 am

The Parksider wrote: CMHRC list of Coal mines in 1880 has a list of mines in Leeds. many no suprise, but there was apparently a Seacroft colliery (Drat and double drat Mr. Godfrey what about sheet 203.15) which may explain the "coal road" even more, a Calverley Colliery - my goodness!! and a Potternewton Colliery!! Wonder where any of these three were....... The name Coal Road indeed has its origins as you sumise from its usage:'Grandma and Grandad had sixteen children, thirteen girls lived and one son. They had their own pew in Shadwell Church and were all very religious. Every evening one had read a passage of the Bible. Part of Grandad’s tenancy was when harvest was finished he had to cart so many loads of coal from Barnbow Pit to Harewood House. Hence "The Coal Road’. Passing in to York Road, he had a toll of 1/2d wheel to pay at the Toll House [which as a lot of people remember, is where Mrs Ibbotson (who is still around at 93 and often talks to me about my mother) lived].'This is taken from an article by Alan Noble, Church Warden, St James' Seacroft in 1997 which some of you may like to read in full -http://home.freeuk.com/seacroft/documents/noblea.htmI have family conections with old Seacroft going back to at least my Great Grandfathers generation. He lived in Poplar House which was on the site of what is now Neto.

peterg · Post by **peterg** » Mon 28 Jan, 2008 12:50 am

I am not talking about Hollyshaw Lane. If you find Austhorpe Lane on the Google map ( it will mark a place just beyond Austhorpe Hall), and then move diagonally down to the left you will come to the Ring Road. The Estate between those two roads was the Shute Estate and the place I was talking about was somewhere in the middle of there. I have forgotten the names of the streets.

Post by **chameleon** » Mon 28 Jan, 2008 1:32 am

peterg wrote: In the late 40's, before the Shute Estate was built of Appleyard's Hill, to get from Penda's Grove where I lived to Whitkirk Cricket Ground, I used to cycle up Appleyard's Hill and then cut across the fields to the Ring Road and then on to the field and I remember seeing coal remains in the middle of the fields, although I have no idea whether there was any mine near there. There were bell pits across that triangular area to the right of Austhorpe Lane and there is an un-named shaft were Lulworth Cres., turns to the right at the top.

wiggy · Post by **wiggy** » Mon 28 Jan, 2008 12:09 pm

the little houses on seacroft village green were miners cottages...i think thats what they are still called...

The Parksider · Post by **The Parksider** » Tue 29 Jan, 2008 9:56 am

chameleon wrote: Parksider - I don't know Sandway Pit in Manston but looking at the magic (!) geology map there are some shafts noted around there.The one between Manston Way and Avenue is shown as Victoria Pit, the other two simply shown as shafts. Looking again since saving the piccy, I've seen a fourth, north of Sandbed Lane and west of The Avenue in the corner of the junction and sorry - non of these are under houses - I'll keep looking though!! The old manson Colliery is on the 1854 map, old manston being out manston Lane - it's just above the railway and traces can be seen on Google.A second colliery is further along where the road heads north - is this at shippen house? in the field is the remains of a pit heap you can see on Google. This was "barnbow Common" so I can only assume this may have been "Barnbow Colliery" not marked in 1854 - haven't found out hoe to look at the later OS maps yet.I'd assume they mined out from Old manston then just sunk another shaft further east at barnbow common??? How did thos shallow mines work in those days???

Post by **chameleon** » Tue 29 Jan, 2008 12:55 pm

There are so many features showing o Google Earth which could be of interest - just wish I could interpret them for what they really are!There is another rough area depicted on the OS maps which may have een a spoil heap above the NW corner of the present sports ground to the right of Shippen House farm with an interesting blob or two seen on google - wonder if this was the site of a pit head too?Some years ago now, during a very hot dry summer, there was quite a fire in the woods to the north which took hold underground and burned for ages. Could this have spread through the old shallow workings?At that point,Barnbow lane was closed I recall for safety and Though I've not been along there for some time, I suspect (as many of these tracks now are) that it remains gated.Shallow workings seem to be as frequent as the deep mines around East Leeds. During the construction of the new York Road and roundabout between the Melbourne and Seacroft, there was quite a collection of old track and and even trucks brought out from the excavations.

peterg · Post by **peterg** » Tue 29 Jan, 2008 3:20 pm

In the late 40's there was an area off the Selby Road known as Three Wells Wood. I can't remember exactly where it was, but I assume the three shafts must have been related with a mine. Can anyone enlighten me on the matter?