The Kent Coalfield was a coalfield located in the eastern part of the English county of Kent.
Coal was discovered in the area in 1890 while borings for an early Channel Tunnel project were taking place and the resultant Shakespeare colliery lasted until 1915. In the early years many collieries were sunk but failed and the East Kent Light Railway was built to exploit the anticipated business. Extensive plans had been drawn up by 1914 for major coal exploitation in east Kent, but the outbreak of war and disappointing test results eventually resulted in only four collieries surviving: Betteshanger, Chislet, Snowdown and Tilmanstone. Had coal been more easily accessible there is no doubt that the open, rural landscape of east Kent would have changed beyond recognition.
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Various geologists, including Robert Godwin-Austen, theorised that the geological conditions in East Kent were conducive to the existence of coal and therefore the potential for coal mining. Godwin-Austen put forward his views in 1857, and they were accepted by Sir Joseph Prestwich, who was a member of the Royal Coal Commission from 1866–71.[1] The following seams are recognised. They are listed in stratigraphical order with the uppermost/youngest at the top and the lowermost/oldest at the bottom:[2]
Test bores were made at the following locations:-
A colliery was planned at Adisham. It was not commenced.[6][7]
Standing to the northwest of Deal, this colliery was served by a branch off the Minster to Dover line. The colliery opened in 1924, the first coal was raised in 1927. In 1945, the workforce was 2,033, with 1,594 being employed sub-surface and 439 above.[8] Betteshanger was the only pit to strike during World War II . Betteshanger was the last pit to return to work after the 1984–85 Miners' Strike and it closed on August 26, 1989. A few of the buildings survive today.[9][10][11]
Work began at Chislet in 1914, and the colliery produced its first coal in 1918. The fact that its owners, the Anglo-Westphalian Kent Coalfield Ltd., had German connections caused questions to be asked in Parliament. The company changed it name to the North Kent Coalfield Ltd., and later to Chislet Colliery Ltd. The colliery was served by the Ashford to Minster railway, and a halt was built to serve the miners. In 1945, the workforce was 1,350, with 1,023 being employed sub-surface and 327 above.[8] The colliery closed on July 25, 1969, the abandonment of steam traction by British Rail having taken away the market for its coal.[13][14] Houses for the miners were built at Hersden, which still has a social club named the Chislet Colliery Social Club.
A mine at Cobham produced a small quantity of brown lignite, although some bituminous coal had been found. It had been open cast mined and used by Lord Darnley to heat Cobham Hall. A mine was sunk in 1947 and was recorded as producing 80 tons per week. The mine closed in 1953 and the site cleared.[12]
The first test shaft was sunk in 1906, hoping to find the coal seams discovered under Waldershare Park. The East Kent Light Railway connected to the pit in November 1912. No coal had been found by 1918, and the colliery closed in the 1920s owing to geological problems. Two buildings remain at the site.[16]
This site was located to the south of Woodnesborough. Work here was abandoned in 1914 without coal being found. It was served by a half mile branch off the East Kent Light Railway. The site was subsequently used by the Hammill Brickworks. Some buildings survive.[17]
This colliery was to have been located near East Langdon. Some boreholes were drilled but work was abandoned without any shafts being sunk.[7]
This colliery was located in West Hougham on the site of the original Channel Tunnel workings. Coal had been discovered at a depth of 300 metres (980 ft) below Shakespeare Cliff on February 15, 1890. The first shaft was stated on August 21, 1891.[18] A mining accident on March 6, 1897 killed eight men.[19] The cause was a sudden inrush of water at a depth of 366 feet (112 m). This problem was solved by lining the shaft with cast iron tubes as the shaft was sunk.[20] By February 1905, just 12 tons of coal had been brought to the surface. Only 1,000 tons had been raised by 1912 and the colliery closed in December 1915 due to geological problems. Shakespeare Cliff Halt opened in 1913 to serve the miners.[21] The site was obliterated by workings in connection with building the Channel Tunnel in the 1980s.[5]
Work commenced in 1908, and coal was first brought to the surface on November 19, 1912. The first shaft sunk hit water at 260 feet (79 m) and 22 men were drowned. Snowdown was the deepest pit in Kent, reaching a depth of 3,083 feet (940 m).[22] The colliery was served by the Faversham to Dover railway, and a halt(Snowdown and Nonington) was provided. In 1945 the workforce was 1,876, with 1,523 being employed sub-surface and 353 above.[8] The colliery closed in 1986 and the shafts were capped in 1988.[23] A few ruinous buildings remain today.[4]
This colliery was near Lydden. It was abandoned in 1914 without coal being found.[25] It lay derelict until 1919 when work recommenced, only to be abandoned and most of the buildings demolished in 1921.[7] A couple of buildings remain.[25]
Work was commenced at Tilmanstone in 1906. An accident in 1909 killed three men and destroyed the pumping system, causing the mine to flood and work was abandoned for nine months.[26] The site was connected to the East Kent Light Railway in 1912 and coal first brought to the surface in March 1913. An accident at the pit on February 27, 1931 resulted in Sydney William Padfield being awarded a bronze Edward Medal,[27] the only one awarded in the Kent Coalfield.[28] An aerial ropeway was built in 1930 to link the pit with Dover Harbour. This included tunnelling through the cliff at Dover to deliver the coal to a 5,000 ton bunker at the harbour.[26] It wasn't used much after 1935, and was dismantled in 1954.[29] In 1945, the workforce was 914, with 631 being employed sub-surface and 283 above.[8] The colliery closed in 1986, having produced over 20,000,000 tons of coal. A system of tokens was used in the pithead baths and canteen[30] and a lamp check was operated, in common with the majority of pits.[31] All buildings have been demolished.[32]
Work at Wingham was abandoned in 1914, without coal being found. Water had been hit, and there was no finance to buy pumps. The buildings were mothballed and sold in 1924, being used for a milling business. The colliery was to be served by the East Kent Light Railway.[7][33]