The Marley Hill Colliery was commenced on 9th January 1840 and the Busty seam was reached on 28th June 1840, production having commenced in May 1840 from the upper seams. The Busty seam was prime coking quality and in 1842/3 330 beehive coke ovens were erected. These developments were carried out by the Marley Hill Coal Company. The Marley Hill Coking Company was formed in 1844. By 1847 the Colliery was producing 200,000 tons of coal and 70,000 tons of coke with sales all over Britain and France. The M.H. Coking Company also had coke ovens at Grimsby which used Marley Hill coal shipped from Jarrow. A new by-product coking plant was opened at Marley Hill in July 1908, replacing the beehive ovens at Marley Hill, Byermoor, Burnopfield and Dipton Collieries. The by-product plant consisted of 60 Hussener vertical ovens which were later increased to 90 ovens. The plant produced the following by-products: sulphate of ammonia, benzol, sulphuric acid and various tar products. The Marley Hill coking plant was replaced by the Monkton coke oven and by-product plant which was opened on 5th April 1937, the Marley Hill plant being closed shortly afterwards. The developmental history of the site can be traced through historic map evidence: the 1st edition Ordnance Survey plan, for example, shows wagonway sidings and coke ovens within the site, and Marley Hill Wagonway (HER ref. 3713) which linked the colliery to the Pontop and Jarrow Railway.
Site Type: Broad
Coal Mining Site
SITEDESC
Marley Hill Colliery. The 1st edition OS mapping shows wagonway sidings and coke ovens within the site and Marley Hill Wagonway (HER 3713) which linked the colliery to the Pontop and Jarrow Railway {1}. In 1802 a George Rawlings bored down to Busty Bank seam at Marley Hill. The Grand Allies abandoned the mine in 1815. The Marley Hill Colliery was recommenced by John Bowes & Partners Ltd on 9th January 1840 for the production of coke and the Busty seam was reached on 28th June 1840 (production had commenced in May 1840 from the upper seams). The Busty seam was prime coking quality and in 1842/3 330 beehive coke ovens were erected. These developments were carried out by the Marley Hill Coal Company (Bowes, Hutt, Lady Strathmore and Wood). The Marley Hill Coking Company was formed in 1844 with the partners above and Charles Mark Palmer. By 1847 the Colliery was producing 200,000 tons of coal and 70,000 tons of coke with sales all over Britain and France. The M.H. Coking Company also had coke ovens at Grimsby which used Marley Hill coal shipped from Jarrow. On 21 July 1886 the Marley Hill Coking Company was absorbed into John Bowes and Partners Limited. A new by-product coking plant was opened at Marley Hill in July 1908, replacing the beehive ovens at Marley Hill, Byermoor, Burnopfield and Dipton Collieries. The by-product plant consisted of 60 Hussener vertical ovens which were later increased to 90 ovens. The plant produced the following by-products: sulphate of ammonia, benzol, sulphuric acid and various tar products. The ovens and by-products plant are listed as being operated by the Marley Hill Chemical Company which was a wholly owned subsidiary of John Bowes and Partners Limited, probably set up when the plant was opened. The Marley Hill coking plant was replaced by the Monkton coke oven and by-product plant which was opened on 5th April 1937, the Marley Hill plant being closed shortly afterwards. By 1937 the Marley Hill plant was, in any case, obsolete but the new plant at Monkton was better placed to deal with coal from the Company's collieries east of Marley Hill which would have required hauling up the inclines to Marley Hill, an inconvenient and expensive operation {2}. The colliery finally closed on 3 March 1983.
Site Name
Marley Hill Colliery
Site Type: Specific
Colliery
HER Number
3705
Form of Evidence
Documentary Evidence
Sources
<< HER 3705 >> 1st edition Ordnance Survey Map, c.1855, 6 inch scale, Durham, 6
I. Ayris, Marley Hill, Coke Works; Durham Mining Museum www.dmm.org.uk; Whellan, 1894, Directory of County Durham; N. Emery, 1998, Banners of the Durham Coalfield; Archaeological Services Durham University, 2013, Marley Hill Proposed Surface Mine, Geophysical Survey and fieldwalking
YEAR1
1994
YEAR2
2005
English, British
Class
Industrial
COMP1
Truman L.P.H
DAY1
17
District
Gateshead
Easting
419830
EASTING2
0
Grid ref figure
8
Map Sheet
NZ15NE
MONTH1
8
Grid Reference
NZ
Northing
556570
NORTHING2
0
General Period
POST MEDIEVAL
Specific Period
Victorian 1837 to 1901
Place
Marley Hill
Description
This Shaft is marked as ‘Old’ on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey plan, so was probably out of use by 1857.
Site Type: Broad
Mining Industry Site
SITEDESC
A Shaft, marked as Old on the 1st edition OS mapping, so was out of use by 1857.
Site Name
Marley Hill, Shaft
Site Type: Specific
Mine Shaft
HER Number
3704
Form of Evidence
Documentary Evidence
Sources
<< HER 3704 >> 1st edition Ordnance Survey Map, c.1855, 6 inch scale, Durham, 6
YEAR1
1994
English, British
Class
Industrial
COMP1
Truman L.P.H
DAY1
17
District
Gateshead
Easting
419890
EASTING2
0
Grid ref figure
8
Map Sheet
NZ15NE
MONTH1
8
Grid Reference
NZ
Northing
556800
NORTHING2
0
General Period
POST MEDIEVAL
Specific Period
Victorian 1837 to 1901
Place
Marley Hill
Description
This Shaft is marked as ‘Old’ on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey plan, so was probably out of use by 1857.
Site Type: Broad
Mining Industry Site
SITEDESC
A Shaft, marked as Old on the 1st edition mapping, so was out of use by 1857.
Site Name
Marley Hill, Shaft
Site Type: Specific
Mine Shaft
HER Number
3703
Form of Evidence
Documentary Evidence
Sources
<< HER 3703 >> 1st edition Ordnance Survey Map, c.1855, 6 inch scale, Durham, 6
YEAR1
1994
English, British
Class
Industrial
COMP1
Truman L.P.H
DAY1
17
District
Gateshead
Easting
420080
EASTING2
0
Grid ref figure
8
Map Sheet
NZ25NW
MONTH1
8
Grid Reference
NZ
Northing
557050
NORTHING2
0
General Period
POST MEDIEVAL
Specific Period
Victorian 1837 to 1901
Place
Marley Hill
Description
This Shaft is marked as ‘Old’ on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey plan, so was probably out of use by 1857.
Site Type: Broad
Mining Industry Site
SITEDESC
A Mine Shaft, marked as Old on the 1st edition OS mapping, so was out of use by 1857.
Site Name
Marley Hill, Shaft
Site Type: Specific
Mine Shaft
HER Number
3702
Form of Evidence
Documentary Evidence
Sources
<< HER 3702 >> 1st edition Ordnance Survey Map, c.1855, 6 inch scale, Durham, 6
YEAR1
1994
English, British
Class
Industrial
COMP1
Truman L.P.H
DAY1
17
District
Gateshead
Easting
420040
EASTING2
0
Grid ref figure
8
Map Sheet
NZ25NW
MONTH1
8
Grid Reference
NZ
Northing
557090
NORTHING2
0
General Period
POST MEDIEVAL
Specific Period
Victorian 1837 to 1901
Place
Marley Hill
Description
This Shaft is marked as ‘Old’ on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey plan, so was probably out of use by 1857.
Site Type: Broad
Mining Industry Site
SITEDESC
A Shaft, marked as Old on the 1st edition OS mapping, so was out of use by 1857.
Site Name
Marley Hill, Shaft
Site Type: Specific
Mine Shaft
HER Number
3701
Form of Evidence
Documentary Evidence
Sources
<< HER 3701 >> 1st edition Ordnance Survey Map, c.1855, 6 inch scale, Durham, 6
YEAR1
1994
English, British
Class
Industrial
COMP1
Truman L.P.H
DAY1
17
District
Gateshead
Easting
419870
EASTING2
0
Grid ref figure
8
Map Sheet
NZ15NE
MONTH1
8
Grid Reference
NZ
Northing
557010
NORTHING2
0
General Period
POST MEDIEVAL
Specific Period
Victorian 1837 to 1901
Place
Marley Hill
Description
Historic Ordnance Survey map evidence shows a Mine Shaft at this location.
Site Type: Broad
Mining Industry Site
SITEDESC
A Mine Shaft.
Site Name
Marley Hill, Shaft
Site Type: Specific
Mine Shaft
HER Number
3700
Form of Evidence
Documentary Evidence
Sources
<< HER 3700 >> 1st edition Ordnance Survey Map, c.1855, 6 inch scale, Durham, 6
YEAR1
1994
English, British
Class
Industrial
COMP1
Truman L.P.H
DAY1
17
District
Gateshead
Easting
419910
EASTING2
0
Grid ref figure
8
Map Sheet
NZ15NE
MONTH1
8
Grid Reference
NZ
Northing
557100
NORTHING2
0
General Period
POST MEDIEVAL
Specific Period
Victorian 1837 to 1901
Place
Marley Hill
Description
Historic Ordnance Survey map evidence shows a Mine Shaft at this location.
Site Type: Broad
Mining Industry Site
SITEDESC
A Mine Shaft.
Site Name
Marley Hill, Shaft
Site Type: Specific
Mine Shaft
HER Number
3699
Form of Evidence
Documentary Evidence
Sources
<< HER 3699 >> 1st edition Ordnance Survey Map, c.1855, 6 inch scale, Durham, 6
YEAR1
1994
English, British
Class
Transport
COMP1
Truman L.P.H
COMP2
Clare Henderson
DAY1
17
DAY2
17
District
Gateshead
Easting
418494
EASTING2
1857
Grid ref figure
10
Map Sheet
NZ15NE
MONTH1
8
MONTH2
11
Grid Reference
NZ
NGR2
NZ
Northing
557159
NORTHING2
5711
General Period
POST MEDIEVAL
Specific Period
Victorian 1837 to 1901
Place
Whickham
Description
Crookbank Wagonway, marked on historic Ordnance Survey maps, ran south-east from the Pontop and Jarrow Railway (HER ref. 1007) to Crookbank Colliery (County Durham).
Site Type: Broad
Tramway Transport Site
SITEDESC
Crookbank Wagonway ran south east from the Pontop and Jarrow Railway, (SMR 1007), to Crookbank Colliery (County Durham).
Site Name
Crookbank Wagonway
Site Type: Specific
Wagonway
HER Number
3698
Form of Evidence
Documentary Evidence
Sources
<< HER 3698 >> 1st edition Ordnance Survey Map, c.1855, 6 inch scale, Durham, 6
YEAR1
1994
YEAR2
2020
English, British
Class
Industrial
COMP1
Truman L.P.H
DAY1
17
District
Gateshead
Easting
419380
EASTING2
0
Grid ref figure
8
Map Sheet
NZ15NE
MONTH1
8
Grid Reference
NZ
Northing
557340
NORTHING2
0
General Period
POST MEDIEVAL
Specific Period
Victorian 1837 to 1901
Place
Marley Hill
Description
This Shaft is marked as ‘Old’ on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey plan, so was probably out of use by 1857.
Site Type: Broad
Mining Industry Site
SITEDESC
Shaft, marked as Old on the 1st edition OS mapping, so was out of use by 1857.
Site Name
Marley Hill, Shaft
Site Type: Specific
Mine Shaft
HER Number
3697
Form of Evidence
Documentary Evidence
Sources
<< HER 3697 >> 1st edition Ordnance Survey Map, c.1855, 6 inch scale, Durham, 6
YEAR1
1994
English, British
Class
Industrial
COMP1
Truman L.P.H
DAY1
17
District
Gateshead
Easting
419220
EASTING2
0
Grid ref figure
8
Map Sheet
NZ15NE
MONTH1
8
Grid Reference
NZ
Northing
557260
NORTHING2
0
General Period
POST MEDIEVAL
Specific Period
Victorian 1837 to 1901
Place
Marley Hill
Description
This Shaft is marked as ‘Old’ on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey plan, so was probably out of use by 1857.
Site Type: Broad
Mining Industry Site
SITEDESC
Shaft, marked as Old on the 1st edition OS mapping, so was out of use by 1857.
Site Name
Marley Hill, Shaft
Site Type: Specific
Mine Shaft
HER Number
3696
Form of Evidence
Documentary Evidence
Sources
<< HER 3696 >> 1st edition Ordnance Survey Map, c.1855, 6 inch scale, Durham, 6