TR 280470. Abandoned colliery at Coldred. The remains of Guilford Colliery are on a narrow road running north west from Whitfield. From1906 onwards three shafts were sunk but are now sealed off inside circular brick walls 6 ft high; the foundations of the engine house for these shafts remain but the whole of this area is heavily overgrown and very difficult of access. The most prominent feature ofthe site is a very large and handsome brick engine house (see illustration card) south east of the remains just mentioned in fairly good condition with all the supporting walls for the engine and winding gear. The shaft for this would have been on the south west side but was never sunk. The workshops in fairly good condition, and the offices, rather derelict, still remain, also the powder magazine, a small brick building, 300 yrds to the west. Two of the shafts were sunk to a depth of c.1250 ft and a borehole was sunk to 1346 ft without reaching the coal measures. Severe trouble from water ingresswas always experienced and 'cementation' was tried unsuccessfully between 1919 and 1920 before the site was finally abandoned in 1921 without mining any coal. (1) (TR 28104695) Mine (disused) (NAT) (2)

<1> Ind Arch od SE Eng 1978 32-33 (A J Haselfoot) (OS Card Reference). SKE44211.

<2> OS 1:10000 1976 (OS Card Reference). SKE48161.