In 1849, after the establishing iron furnaces at Kilgetty
the Pembrokeshire Iron and Coal Company
considered the possiblity of sinking a new pit at Grove
to mine the Kilgetty anthracite vein and provide
anthracite to the ironworks.
Visit Date October 2023
The Pithead and Shaft |
The pit would have to be sunk to a depth of 182 metres to reach the vein.
The final decision was taken around 1852 and the new pit was started and opened some time later. When the pit finally started producing coal the Ironworks was in one of its production phases.
The Pithead and Shaft |
The pit, being very close to the ironworks was to be linked underground to the workings of the older Kilgetty Colliery, which it drained. It had a tramway link directly to the Ironworks and was also connected to the Saundersfoot Railway.
The shaft was described in 1859 as the largest in Wales.
Coal from Grove was not exclusively used in the ironworks but was also taken by the Saundersfoot Railway to be sold for use elsewhere.
Inside view of Pithead |
The Grove Colliery was later finally connected to Kilgetty Colliery via an underground tunnel.
Grove Colliery had its' own Smithy, Carpenters' shop and Stables which housed the pit ponies.
The associated ironworks finally ceased production in 1877 and a few years later coal extraction had ceased at Grove but the 274-horsepower Cornish Beam Pumping Engine was retained for pumping water until its' final abandonment in 1900."
It is reported that there remains a fully equipped stable at the foot of the shaft.
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Visit Information: -Google Reference: -
51.731820524163666, -4.696051707193539
What Three Words reference: -
///jets.demanding.losing
OS Details: -
SN 13918 07112 WAltitude:58 m
Additional information.
There is parking here for a a dozen cars or so and the place is easy to visit.
The site is now alongside a Holiday Park
Off the A477 the turning marked for Stepaside, Wisemans bridge and Amroth. Then follow the brown heritage signs for the ironworks.
Then look for direction to the pit.
There are no facilities at the site.
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