Sunk from 1826 to 1834 to a depth of 1578 feet Wearmouth was one of the pioneering deep mines which penetrated the magnesian limestone strata of the area. It was the deepest mine in the world when it started producing coal in 1835, and was probably the last mine to have a single-cylinder vertical winding engine installed (in 1868). Steam was used at the mine until the 1950s.

The 1st edition Ordnance Survey plan shows the colliery linked to Pembertons Drops by a wagonway (HER ref. 2746 and 2745). The mine was still in operation in 1985, having been modernised in the 1960s.

Several important 19th century features, including two stone-built horizontal winding engine houses, a heapstead, workshop range and offices survived until the site was demolished for the Stadium of Light Football Ground.

NEHL - The complex was a state of the art operation by the time the NCB owned the pit, as modern mining equipment was installed for its deep North Sea operations.