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Welcome to the Heritage section

Welcome to the Wansbeck Online Heritage section.

This section of the site aims to give a flavour of the history and heritage of the Wansbeck area, through remembering tales of local people and happenings.

None of this section of the site could have been created without the valuable input of Mr Tom Hewitson, and we at Wansbeck Online would like to record our thanks.

We would also like to thank Wansbeck Online member Revd. Judith Grieve for her input into this section.

Wansbeck Overview

The Wansbeck District, is a creation of the coal fields on which it stands, combined with the old Protestant work ethic, enhanced by the Industrial Revolution. In Wansbeck can be found Bedlington, with its Iron Works and coal mining, and the coal mining village of Fell-em-Doon, which developed into a town known as Ashington, reputed to be the largest mining village in the world. They are now, sadly, relics of an industrial past. The Iron Works are long gone and the last deep coal mine in Northumberland - Ellington - closed in 2006.

In the Northumberland County Archives, a sketch map dated 20 March 1755, by John Mason, can be found. The map details coal mining activity and bore holes in "Black Close" (alias Cambois Colliery), on the north bank of the River Wansbeck, belonging to the Right Honourable Countess of Oxford.

On this map there are three bore holes marked, and the following pits are named; "Good luck Pitt" [sic] "Whin Pitt", "Jack Roll Pitt", "Water Pitt", "Endeavour Pitt", "Old Engine Pitt" and "Hodgson Pitt". There is also marked a Wagon Way, Mrs Greathead's garden, and some houses. At the mouth of the river is a sketch of a brick walled Staithes, and higher up the river is another structure named the High Quay. Presumably, coal drawn from the workings would have been transported down the Wagon Way to waiting collier ships at the small port of Cambois to take their loads to further destinations.

This indicates there is a history of coal mining in the Ashington area long before the large scale development of the late 19th century and reflects how much and how long coal mining has been part of the very essence of Wansbeck.