The Lancashire Coalfield was one of the most prolific in England. The number of shafts sunk to gain coal number several thousand, for example, in 1958, Wigan undertook a survey of old shafts and located 500. In 1995 following several years of redevelopment across the Wigan Metropolitan Borough by the British Geological Survey (BGS), in association with the planning consultants Roger Tym & Partners, the list had grown to over 1000 with no real idea of the total. Similar surveys in Bolton and Manchester have also produced long lists of undocumented shafts.

The proliferation of mines resulted from its accessibility at the start of the Industrial Revolution and the climate which was ideal for cotton mills. Coal fed the boilers of the cotton mill towns of Ashton-under-Lyne, Blackburn, Bolton, Burnley, Bury, Darwen, Oldham and Rochdale as well as the Rossendale Valley. The first industrial revolution coal mines supplied coal locally and to Liverpool, along the River Mersey via the Sankey Canal. On the Manchester Coalfield, the early collieries were those of the Duke of Bridgewater in Worsley, where the Bridgewater Canal was built to transport coal from his mines to Manchester.

Lancashire miners used terms in different ways to other coal mining areas. A mine in Lancashire refers to a coal seam, so the Doe mine refers to the Doe seam. The term pit was used for the shaft sunk to access the mine and the term colliery was used to describe the whole of the surface area including the headgear, wash-houses, offices, trams etc. An example is: Garswood Hall Colliery consisting of three pits: the number 9, the number 2 and the number 3 working the Ravin, Orrell Four Foot and Arley mines.

In 1880, the Mines Inspector reported 534 coal pits in the Lancashire field. In 1947 when the industry was nationalised, there were 108 collieries Parkside Colliery in Newton le Willows was the last pit to be sunk in Lancashire, production started in 1960 and was the last to close in 1993.

The list has been compiled from the official reports of the Mines Inspector and lists of mines produced by National Coal Board and the Coal Authority.

The list gives the name of the pit which by convention did not usually use the word pit after it followed by the location and date of closure if known, e.g. Chadderton, Chadderton is the Chadderton Pit located in Chadderton.

Bolton area

Blackrod Anderton Hall, Arley, Blackrod, later became No. 1) Blackrod No 2, Blackrod No 4 Bull Ring, Dark Lane, King Coal, Marklands, Park Hall, Scott Lane, Victoria Main,

Bolton Breightmet, Breightmet Brinsop, Lostock Burnden, Bolton Cheetham Close, Bolton Doffcocker, Halliwell, Gibraltar, Lostock Higher Croft, Breightmet Little, Bolton Parsonage, Bolton Quarlton, Quarlton Rose Hill,*Burnden Smithills, Halliwell Tonge, Tonge/Bolton Tonge Fold, Bolton Tonge Moor, Bolton Turton Moor, Turton - shown disused 1908 Victoria, Rumworth Walker Fold, Bolton Westhoughton New, Lostock

Farnworth and Kearsley Clammerclough, Farnworth Doe, Kearsley Farnworth, Farnworth Kearsley, Farnworth Kearsley Moss, Kearsley Little Hey, Kearsley Little Hey Pumping, Kearsley Lords Moss, Farnworth Manor, Kearsley Machine, Farnworth Nob End Bell Pits, Kearsley Lords Moss Field, Farnworth Scowcrofts, Kearsley Spindle Point, Kearsley Stoneclough, Kearsley Stonehill,*Farnworth Tonges Field, Farnworth Unity Brook, Kearsley

Harwood Great Harwood, Great Harwood Harwood, Harwood Hill End, Harwood

Horwich and Rivington Montcliffe, Horwich New Fields, Horwich Rivington Moor, Rivington Willows, Horwich Wildersmoor, Horwich (mainly fireclay) Winter Hill, Horwich - shown abandoned 1908

Middle and Over Hulton Bank House, Middle Hulton Chequerbent Arley,*Over Hulton Chequerbent Yard, Over Hulton Chequerbent Three Quarters, Over Hulton Deep Halt Yard, Over Hulton Three Quarter, Over Hulton Yard, Over Hulton

Darcy, Great and Little Lever

Croft Side and Victoria, Darcy Lever Darcy Lever, Darcy lever Davenport, Darcy Lever Foggs, Darcey Lever Hacken, Darcy Lever Snow Hill, Darcy Lever Top o' th' Lane, Darcy Lever Victoria, Darcy Lever Five Quarter, Great Lever, Bolton Gravel Hole, Great Lever Great Lever, Great lever Lever Bridge, Great Lever Raikes, Great Lever Bally, Little Lever Bents, Little Lever Dingle, Little Lever Farnworth Bridge, Little Lever Farnworth Bottom, Little Lever Harpurfold, Little Lever Ladyshore, Little Lever Back o'th Barn, Little Lever - (later renamed Ladyshore) Little, Little Lever Middle Bents, Little Lever New Rivin, Little Lever Owl Hole, Little Lever Victoria, Little Lever Riven, Little Lever Stopes, Little Lever

Westhoughton Albert Brinsop Hall Brinsop Hall Arley Brinsop Yard Brookside Bugle Horn Cow Lee Lane Eatock No 1 & 2 Hewlet Hilton House Hulton (also known as the Pretoria Pit) - closed 1934 Lostock Lane Pretoria (also known as Hulton Colliery) - closed 1934 Snydale Hall Starkie Westhoughton Nos 4, 6 & 7 - Nos 6 & 7 shown abandoned 1908

Bury, Bacup and Radcliffe

Bacup Bank Top Blackclough Arley Blue Ball, Brandwood Broadclough Brook Side Clough Head, Sharneyford - listed as abandoned 1938 Clough Head Clay, Sharneyford Deansgreave Deerplay Dinely Freeholds Greave, Brandwood Green's Moor, Brandwood Hogshead, Whitworth Hill Top, Sharneyford, 1948-1966 and 1997-2014 Hoyle Hey, Brandwood Inchfield Moor Lee Moor Lower Mountain Meadows New Line Old Clough Old Meadows (Newchurch in list) Old Sink, Rooley Moor Parrocks Rooley Moor, Rooley Moor Sheephouse Clough

Birtle Birtle Birtle Dean Bowling Green Openshaw Smethurst Hall Thorney Hurst

Bury Affetside, Tottington Ainsworth, Red House Ainsworth Clough Side, Prestwich Cob House, Birtle Dark Lane, Walmsbury Elton, Elton Fern Hill, Bury Higher Hill, Shuttleworth Hunger Hill, Rooly Moor Lumb, Birtle New Hey, Brandwood Oaken Clough, Brandwood Old Hey, Brandwood Pilsworth, Pilsworth Railway, Ainsworth Sand Rock, Walmersley Scout Moor, Shuttleworth Shipper Bottom, Walmersley Snape Hill, Walmersley Tooter Hill, Brandwood Woodgate Hill

Radcliffe Allens Green (with Green Lane) Bank Top Black Moss Canal Side Cockey Moor Coney Green Green Lane Hampson Meadow Hay Side Holcombe, Holcombe Hill Openshaw Fold Outwood No 2, Outwood Outwood No 4, Outwood Radcliffe Bridge Ringley, Outwood - shown disused 1908 Stand Lane Whitaker Bridge Withins Lane Wolstenholdfold

Leigh area

Astley

Astley Green Colliery -Sinking 1908, Closed 1970 Cross Hillock opened after 1866, closed 1887 Gin Pit Colliery Nook Colliery Nook Nos 2, 3 and 4, had four shafts.

Atherton Atherton Chanters Colliery, Hindsford - Closed 1966 Chanters No 2 Closed 1966 Crumbuke, Howe Bridge - Closed 1907 Fan Gibfield Colliery Arley - Closed 1963 Howe Bridge Colliery - Closed 1959 Lovers Lane - Closed 1898 Victoria

Hindley Albion Amberswood Deep Hindley Green Hindley Hall Ladies Lane Nos 1, 2 and 4 Low Hall Stangeways Hall

Leigh and Golborne

Bedford Colliery, Bedford, sinking 1874, Bedford No 3. closed 1967 Edge Green, Golborne Golborne Golborne Nos 1 and 2, Golborne Hindley Field, Golborne Lilly Lane, Golborne Bank Field, Westleigh Bickershaw Colliery No 1, Leigh - Closed 1992 Bickershaw had multiple shafts: Nos 2, 3 and 4, No 5, Also known as Plank Lane - Closed 1992 Broadfield, Westleigh Hearts o' th' meadow, Westleigh Heyfield, Westleigh Lower Hall Nos. 1 & 2 Westleigh Park, Westleigh Parsonage Colliery No 1 Parsonage No 2 Pickley Heys, Westleigh Priestners Nos 1 & 2, Westleigh Snapes, Westleigh Springfield, Westleigh Westleigh Westleigh Lane

Tyldesley Cleworth Hall Colliery Nos 1, 2 and 3 sunk 1874 Combermere Colliery - opened 1878, closed 1893 shown disused 1908 Ellenbrook Fan Gatley, New Manchester Great Boys Colliery Messhing Trees Renamed Wellington Pit, Shakerley Nelson New Lester No 1 & No 2 Peel Peelwood Colliery Shakerley - listed as abandoned 1938 St George's Colliery Nos 2 and 3 Tyldesley Wharton Hall No 1, Nos 2 & 3 Yew Tree Colliery

Manchester and Salford

Ashton-under-Lyne and Stalybridge Ashton Moss, Ashton-under-Lyne (known locally as Snipe) - Closed 1959 Broad Oak, Ashton-under-Lyne Charlestown, Ashton-under-Lyne Hartshead, Ashton-under-Lyne Heys, Ashton-under-Lyne Higher Mill, Stalybridge Hurst Knowl, Ashton-under-Lyne Limehurst, Ashton-under-Lyne Lords Field, Ashton-under-Lyne Snipe, Ashton-under-Lyne (properly named Ashton Moss) - Closed 1959

Little Hulton Arley Deep, Over Hulton Ashton's Field, Little Hulton Ashton's Field Pumping Station, Little Hulton Bank, Little Hulton Barracks, Little Hulton Brackley 1 & 2, Middle Hulton Brackley Day eye, Middle Hulton Charlton 1 & 2, Little Hulton Delph, Middle Hulton Hanging Bank, Little Hulton Little, Little Hulton Peel Hall Nos 1,2 & 3, Little Hulton Smithfold, Little Hulton Streetgate, Little Hulton Watergate, Middle Hulton

Manchester Bradford Colliery, Bradford, Manchester - Closed 1968 Bradford Fireclay, Bradford, Manchester - Closed 1968 Burton Nook, Denton Broomstair, Denton Clayton, Clayton Denton, Denton - flooded during the 1926 miners strike, never reopened, closed 1939/40 Great Wood, Denton Moston, Newton Heath Oak Victoria, Audenshaw Top Pit, Denton Victoria, Denton

Pendlebury, Clifton and Pendleton Agecroft Colliery, Pendlebury (later became 1 & 2) 3 & 4, Pendlebury Closed 1991 Botany Bay, Clifton Clifton, Clifton Clifton Hall, Clifton Closed 1929 Clifton Moss, Clifton Kearsley, Clifton, Salford Moorside, Moorside New Town Nos 1, 2 and 3 Clifton Pendlebury Colliery, Pendlebury Pendleton Colliery Nos 1 & 2, Pendleton Robin Hood, Clifton Springwell, Clifton Timber Yard, Clifton Wet Earth, Clifton - Closed 1928 Wet Earth Drift, Clifton - Closed 1928

Worsley Bridgewater 1, 2, 3 & 4 Worsley Renamed Sandhole Colliery Nos 1, 2, 3, & 4, Worlsey Worsley Navigable Levels, Worsley Edge Fold, Worsley Ellesmere, Worsley Ellesmere Nos 1, 2 and 3 Linnyshaw Colliery 1 & 2, Worsley Mangnalls, Worsley Mesne Lea, Worsley New Watergate, Little Hulton Sanderson, Worsley Wardley Coppice Field, Wardley Worsley, Worsley

Burnley area

Altham, Altham Altham Moorfields, Altham Aspen, Oswaldtwistle Baitings, Wolstenholme Bamford Closes, Wolstenholme Bank Hall, Burnley - Closed 1971 Bank Moor, Oswaldtwistle Barclay Hills, Burnley Barrowshaw, Barrowshaw Baxenden, Baxenden Bee Hole, Burnley Bell Isle, Tinnicliffe Belthorn, Yate - shown disused 1908 Birkacre, Birkarce Blackburn, Whitebirk Bog Farm, Darwen Brandlewood Moor, Stacksteads Brassey Mine, Dulesgate Brex, Newchurch, Rossendale Broadfield, Accrington Broadoak & Tagclough, Accrington Brookside, Accrington Broad Oak Nook, Hurst Bunkers Hill, Stacksteads Burnley Drift, Burnley Burnt Hills, Clowbridge Calder, Altham Carr & Cleggs, Portsmouth Chapel, Green Charnock, Charnock Cheesden, Lumb Chorley, Chorley Clayton, Clayton-le-Moors Clifton, Burnley - Closed 1955 Cliviger, Cliviger Clough Head, Todmorden Coney, Over Darwen Copy, Cliviger Coppy Clough and Park, Church Cornfield, Padiham Cranberry Moss, Darwen Cupola, Clowbridge Count Hill, Higher Barrowshaw Dean, Newchurch in Rossendale Deanwood Clay, Portsmouth Dearnley, Smallbridge Dewhurst, Baxendale Dodbottom, Cliviger Dogshaw, Over Darwen Duckworth Hall, Oswaldtwistle Dunkenhalgh Park, Church Duxbury Park, Chorley Eccleshill, Darwin Ellison Fold, Over Darwen Elpit Edge, Butterfield Flash, Eccleshill Fordoe, Wolstenholme Foulclough, Todmorden Freeholds, Whitworth Haigh Fulledge, Burnley Gambleside, Crawshaw Booth Gannow, Habergham Goodshaw Hill, Rawtenstall Great Harwood, Accrington Green Clough Merril Head Farm, Cliviger Grime Bridge, Lumb in Rossendale (CURRENT) Grime Bridge, Newchurch Grime Bridge No 2, Newchurch Gristlehurst, Heywood Farnworth House, Duxbury Habergham, Habergham, Burnley Hades Farm, Wardle Handle Hall, Calderbrook Hapton, Hapton Hapton Valley, Hapton - Closed 1981 Hauch Hey, Butterworth Heapy, Heapy Chorley Helm Clough, Stacksteads Heskin Hall, Heskin Hewlett No 1, West Loughton Hewlett No 2, West Loughton Hoddlesden, Hoddlesden - listed abandoned 1938