Colliery Pithead Wheels at Berryhill Fields

Colliery Pithead Wheels
at Berryhill Fields

Location: Berryhill fields - top of pathway at entrance to park nearest to Hall Hill Drive
Installed: 2000

at the top right are the four wheels set on the levelled off spoil heap of Mossfield Colliery

Bing Maps

pathway to the four pithead wheels

the view back down the path, in the far distance is Bagnall and Light Oaks
the two housing estates are Ubberley (nearest) and Bentilee

Photos: January 2006

Inscription: (concrete circle - surrounded by cobblestones)

"THERE'S BLACK ASH BENEATH
THE GREEN
GOB FIRES BURNING UNDER GAS HILL
AND BENEATH IT ALL
BONES OF MINERS BURIED
STILL"

The inscription commemorates a fatal accident at Mossfield colliery in 1889. As a result of gas there was a massive explosion causing the death of 64 miners

Description:
Four pithead winding wheels, half set into the ground. Pointing in four different directions. The wheels are painted black and have nameplates which depict the local seams mined and some of the collieries in the area.
The wheels are set on the levelled off spoil heap of Mossfield Colliery.

The inscription commemorates a fatal accident at Mossfield colliery in 1889.
The Cockshead seam (which was mined at Mossfield) was subject to gob fires (an area that has been left void after the coal has been extracted and fires are caused by spontaneous combustion).
A series of explosions began on the 12th September , probably due to the access of air to the gob fire and the crushing of the extremely thin pillars of coal separating the two workings. On October 16th 1889 there was a massive explosion, resulting in the death of 64 miners at Mossfield Colliery.

Background to the wheels:
Part of the restoration of the Berryhill fields after they had been saved from opencast mining.
There was a strong emphasis on community involvement throughout the project, and the Berryhill Friends Group played a key role in its management.

Materials:

Part of work	Material	Dimensions
Wheels	Steel, painted black

The wheels have nameplates which depict the local seams mined and some of the collieries in the area

Four pithead winding wheels, half set into the ground. Pointing in four different directions
Four pithead winding wheels, half set into the ground. Pointing in four different directions

Bambury coal seam

Berry Hill Colliery

Bowling Alley coal seam

Cocks Head coal seam

Cottage coal seam

Deep Dolly coal seam

Dole Pool coal seam

Fenton Park Colliery

First Ash coal seam

Hard Mine coal seam

Holly Lane coal seam

Knowles coal seam

Lawn coal seam

Marl Hole coal seam

Mossfield Colliery

Old Railway coal seam

Smith's Tabbenor coal seam

Ten Feet coal seam