The Garnant Colliery Site Now

Picture displayed with permission from Mrs Elizabeth Owens, landowner on 2/2/2005.

An OS map dated 1878, confirms that this is the location of the Pit which was being worked at the time of the accident. The site closure plans for Garnant Colliery, which were signed in May 1914, does also appear to show that the above location is the correct site.

Site plans for Gors Y Garnant colliery also show the location of Garnant Colliery and the railway line. On these plans, the shafts are shown to be on the west side of the railway line. The original railway line followed the course of the river Garnant and lay to the east of the pit where the accident occurred.

Going by old maps and site plans, Garnant Colliery consisted of at least two pits and a drift mine, which was established further North at a later date. It is possible that Garnant Colliery was originally established as a pit on the east of the River Garnant on the same side of the main road as a water wheel (see picture below). The water wheel location, however, may have been the site of Cwm Garnant Colliery, which was owned by James and Aubrey in 1869.

This is the location of the water wheel, which was eventually disembled by the Cawdor Colliery Company. This picture was taken from the bridge on the border of Garnant and Gwaun Cae Gurwen, on the A474, on 11/12/2005.

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