Benwell, mining gallery

HER Number:
16263

District:
Newcastle

Site Name:
Benwell, mining gallery

Place:
Benwell

Map Sheet:
NZ26SW

Class:
Industrial

Site Type: Broad:
Coal Mining Site

Site Type: Specific:
Coal Workings

General Period:
Medieval

Specific Period:

Form of Evidence:
Subterranean Feature

Description:
Evidence for early coal mining was identifed during excavations at Sunnybank Avenue, Benwell. Two possible bell pits (HER 16262) and extensive drift mining galleries were revealed dating to the medieval and/or early post-medieval period. The galleries had been excavated in a north-west/south-east grid pattern following the pillar and stall method of extraction. This is an early form of mining which exploited rich coal seams closer to the surface before the introduction of deep coal mining in the late 16th century. The workings were an interconnected network of galleries extracting coal from a seam up to 2m thick. The galleries varied in width from 1-1.7m. Some of the galleries terminated abruptly, despite the presence of further coal deposits beyond which may indicate the presence of an estate boundary. There was no evidence of pit props, shoring or flooring.

Easting:
2154

Northing:
6432

Grid Reference:
NZ21546432

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
Archaeological Services University of Durham, 2014, Sunnybank Avenue, Benwell, Newcastle upon Tyne - archaeological works