Jane Pit
Where is it?
Jane pit is situated on the junction of Annie Pit Lane and
Mossbay Road, Workington.
GR: NX995278
Access is not restricted in any way. You can view a
location map. Links to local transport
and roads information are also available.
What is it?
Jane Pit is a
19th century coal mine built by Henry Curwen, lord of the manor in
Workington (see Workington Hall). It is
situated adjacent to the Sports Ground at Mossbay in Workington. It
contains the best surviving example of the ornate castellated style
of colliery architecture that was a feature of the large landowner
involvement in the Cumbrian coal industry during the nineteenth
century. The site is a scheduled ancient monument.
The monument still retains a gin circle and a later steam engine
house and therefore is a rare example of a coal mine that
demonstrates the evolution of a horse-powered winding to steam
power. The horse gin which provided an early means of raising coal
up the shaft survives as a circular earthwork immediately to the
south of the winding engine house. It originally had a stone-lined
interior and was the location for a gin arm or pole powered by two
horses that rotated a winding drum to raise coal up the shaft. This
method of winding was replaced in 1843 when the owner, Henry
Curwen, built the now roofless engine house to accommodate a
steam-powered beam winding engine.
Jane Pit operated until the mid-1870s. The mine closed in 1875
when pumping was discontinued after the sea broke into the mine
entombing 100 miners.