Coal Mining Processes and Methods in the Bristol Coalfield Before 1750
It is not generally understood that by Elizabeth 1’s death in 1603, the British Coal Industry was well-established in many areas of the UK. The challenge for those researching the industry is that (as now) coal as a fuel and the men producing it were regarded as both dirty and undesirable. These perspectives resulted in the activities of this industry not being discussed or reported by contemporary observers as much as more sensational topics such as witches or the new fashion of tobacco smoking (no change there!) Recognising also that the activity involved was “out of sight” its easy to see how the scale and importance of the industry was not widely understood.
The Bristol Coalfield was one of the earliest to develop. The accounts of the Constable of Bristol Castle from the thirteenth century refer to coal, and this is not an isolated instance. By 1600, the records available to us make clear that the industry was well-established in areas such as Mangotsfield, Brislington, Westerleigh, Bitton, and Kingswood. The challenge for those researching the industry is that physical archaeology from this period is either absent or difficult to date, and the coverage of archival material is patchy at best.
However, with persistence, guidance, and help from many colleagues, an understanding of what was happening on and under the ground at this early period can be established. That is the purpose of what we have termed a “white paper” produced by SGMRG, which can be found here (link to white paper PDF).
The purpose of this white paper is twofold: firstly, it describes how we understand coal mining was undertaken during this period, and secondly, to attract questions, qualifications, additions, observations and, of course, disagreements – all of which are needed to improve the quality of what is written. With this in mind, please contact the Chairman via the SGMRG Contact Us page.