Benton Square, Newcastle
Moor Edge Colliery
Last Updated:
20 Jul 2021
Benton Square, Newcastle
This is a
Colliery
55.018904, -1.533234
Founded in
Current status is
Demolished
Designer (if known):
Little remains except sparse brickwork
'Moor Edge Colliery is not shown on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey plan so must have opened after 1858. It was served by Killingworth Wagonway, and may have been related to an adjacent Air Shaft'
- Sitelines
Listing Description (if available)
The two Ordnance Survey images above illustrate the Scaffold Hill area of Benton Square, now a part of Rising Sun Country Park.
The first, from the 1860s, exhibits no signs of the colliery. However, one recognisable feature is the Killingworth Waggonway, which was adjacent to the colliery and was linked to this line to transport goods to the Tyne. The footpath, can be seen as a dashed line, which still exists today.
The second from 1898 shows the colliery not long after it was established. It was always relatively small, and featured a couple of sidings and a reservoir. The Waggonway still features, making its way down to Wallsend and the Tyne.
The colliery didn't last too long, and was disused by the 1921 edition of the Ordnance Survey. Between the decades, another siding was fitted and what looks to be the shaft is illustrated as a small circle. Other than that, little remains of the humble little pit. An air shaft can be seen close by, which may be related.
Photograph of Moor Edge Colliery in 2021. This is the field to the north of the site looking towards the pit which was in the tree line. Little remains, though this is the footpath that has existed since before the establishment of the pit.
Some mysterious earthworks and brickwork still litters the site. Not sure about the ridges, but the brick material certainly indicates the buildings that were once here.
Another example of material still lying in the site. According to a Twitter follower, this is part of a drainage pipe.