Birstall
South Leeds Archaeology Society, chaired by Mike Turpin, have been investigating a Victorian colliery site (and the surrounding land) in Birstall for a number of years. Thanks to the successful partnership established through CRAGY, PontArc members have contributed to SLA's recent fieldwork there.
The colliery was recorded as in operation between 1869 and 1887 and was shown as disused on an OS map published in 1894.
SLA carried out geophysical and topographic surveys and established a number of areas to investigate. The red areas in the adjacent image represent high earth resistance and the blue areas low earth resistance. Green areas are mid-range.
The first dig in 2019 was successful in finding part of a building (complete with fireplace) thought to be the weighing office - close to the road and a suspected loading area, with a long rectangular yard adjoining it.
Another dig, post-Covid in 2021, exposed more of the same building.
In 2022, attention moved uphill to the west of the road in the search for an engine or boiler house.
2019 Excavations
2021 Excavations
2022 Excavations
3D models of the relevant trenches can be viewed on Sketchfab by clicking on the links below:
Birstall 2019 T1 & T2 (combined)
Birstall 2021 T3
Birstall 2022 T10