Monument record MDR9649 - Hartshay Colliery (site of), Ripley

Site of Hartshay Colliery. 250 metres west of Heage Road, Ripley stand two undistinguished brick buildings associated with the Hartshay Colliery (Butterley Co) which closed in 1931. The southern building bears a date stone 'J M 1863'. There is evidence nearby of the sidings which served the colliery and the tramway line [SMR 24756] which linked it with Butterley Ironworks. The main spoil heaps remain in situ [in 1972] . (1) The colliery was already established by 1835, as it is shown on Sanderson's map of that date. (2) Examination of modern maps and comparison with historic maps suggests that the buildings referred to by Authority 1 no longer survive. (3) Shortly after crossing the main A610 Ambergate-Ripley road is the site of the Hartshay Colliery. All the track from the rail link to Butterley Works has been recovered and the area is covered by scrub woodland. A small stable dated 1863 with cast iron window frames survives at the end of the colliery. Many of the buildings at the southern end of the colliery remain in use by a variety of concerns, this section being known as the Hartshay Trading Estate. Little work has been carried out on either levelling or restoring the extensive spoil heaps. This is an old mining site (probably 18th century) and was linked to the Cromford Canal at Hartshay by tramroad before the construction of the Butterley Railway. It was owned by C. V. Hunter of Kilburn Hall and the Mold Bros. of Morley Park Ironworks before passing ownership to the Butterley Company.