Monkwearmouth Colliery
Encyclopedia
Monkwearmouth Colliery (or Wearmouth Colliery) was a major North Sea
coal mine located on the north bank of the River Wear
,located in Sunderland. It was the largest mine in Sunderland and one of the most important in County Durham
in northeast England. First opened in 1835 and in spite of the many accidents at the pit, the mine was the last to remain operating in the County Durham Coalfield. The last shift left the pit on December 10, 1993, ending over 800 years of commercial coal mining in the region. The Colliery site was cleared soon afterwards, and the Stadium of Light
, the stadium of Sunderland A.F.C.
, was built over it, opening in July 1997 to replace nearby Roker Park
.
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
coal mine located on the north bank of the River Wear
River Wear
The River Wear is located in North East England, rising in the Pennines and flowing eastwards, mostly through County Durham, to the North Sea at Sunderland.-Geology and history:...
,located in Sunderland. It was the largest mine in Sunderland and one of the most important in County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
in northeast England. First opened in 1835 and in spite of the many accidents at the pit, the mine was the last to remain operating in the County Durham Coalfield. The last shift left the pit on December 10, 1993, ending over 800 years of commercial coal mining in the region. The Colliery site was cleared soon afterwards, and the Stadium of Light
Stadium of Light
The Stadium of Light is an all-seater football stadium in Sunderland, England. With space for 49,000 spectators, the Stadium of Light has the fifth-largest capacity of any English football stadium. The stadium primarily hosts Sunderland A.F.C. matches...
, the stadium of Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
, was built over it, opening in July 1997 to replace nearby Roker Park
Roker Park
Roker Park was an English football stadium situated in Roker, Sunderland. The stadium was the home of the English football club Sunderland A.F.C. from 1897 to 1997 before the club moved to the Stadium of Light. Near the end of the stadium's history, its capacity was around 22,500 with only a small...
.
External links
- North East Coal History Websource.
- Wearmouth Colliery, photo set at Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums