Mining is the industry that has perhaps had the most influence on Whitehaven as a town and on the landscape. It was mining that drove the expansion of the town and the harbour; it was the contacts made initially through the coal trade that led to Whitehaven's growth as a major port and the trade with the Americas, Europe, and Africa.
It is also mining that has left the most reminders of the history of the area. The Whitehaven coast has three Scheduled Ancient Monuments, the designation given to archaeological or historic sites of national importance and all three of these sites are mining monuments.
Saltom Pit
Saltom Pit was sunk in 1729 and today is a site of outstanding importance, marking the first undersea coal-mining in England, with an early use of the Newcomen engine. Visible features include the 18th century seawall, horse-gin circle, and cottages, and a 1820s vertical-winder engine house.
There are now lots of pages on Saltom on this website. Click here to dig deeper into Saltom’s history.
Haig Pit.
This forms one of the finest survivals in England of an early 20th century colliery. Today the engine house and power hall houses the Haig Colliery Mining Museum and contains the original winding engines.
Barrowmouth alabaster/gypsum mine.
Although mining (originally for alabaster, as a monumental stone) can be traced historically from the early 18th century, the major field remains are from mid- to late-19th century gypsum mining, and are Scheduled as one of the best national survivals of a gypsum mine. Field remains include an impressive railway incline, pump and powder houses, and associated housing (including a small mid 19th century museum).
The collieries were served by a complex sequence of waggonways, inclines, and railways, substantial elements of which survive and form a remarkable illustration of the development of railway technology, over nearly three centuries.
The history of Mining in Whitehaven is far too rich and complex to do justice to here. If you would like to find out more please contact the Haig Colliery Mining Musum or follow the links below.
Links
Haig Colliery Mining Museum | Industrial History of Cumbria
Pitmen.co.uk | Florence Mine Heritage Centre
http://www.lakestay.co.uk/sal.htm
http://www.serve.com/scmc/whitehav.html
