East Denton to Scotswood (Montague Main) Waggonway

1765-1800s. Although there were early coal workings within Denton, there is little evidence for the location of early pits or waggonways. A map of Denton from the late 1750s (Turnbull 2009, 120) shows it divided into three parts. East Denton (along with Lemington) belonged to the Right Hon. Edward Montague esq. Towards the river a ‘proposed place for an engine’ is marked which was built soon afterwards. Montague had inherited the estate in 1758 and he (and his wife following his death) developed the Montague Colliery over the later 18th century. Twenty nine pits worked the Beaumont Seam to the south of the Ninety Fathom Dyke as well as shallower seams to the north (Turnbull 2009, 121). Montague Pit and View Pit were sunk near to the river, drained by the pumping engine and Caroline Pit, sunk to 60 fathoms (drained by a second engine set up in 1765 at a depth of 64 fathoms) is shown on Gibson’s (1787) and Casson’s (1801) maps further to the north. Both maps also show a waggonway running from the Caroline Pit to staiths at Scotswood.