Cinderhill pit (3) was an enormous
industrial complex and one of
Nottinghamshire‘s first deep
pits, pioneering powerful
winding engines, ventilation
and lighting. When it closed in
1986 it employed just under
1000 people, produced around
½ million tons of coal per year,
and had an underground link
to Hucknall colliery in order to
reduce road traffic. The only
visible reminder of this incredible
undertaking is the man-made hill
known as Stanton Tip (4), a slag
heap of unwanted earth. Phoenix
Park was built on the colliery
site during the 90s and there is
a plaque in a small roundabout
commemorating the colliery.
Confusingly, Cinderhill pit is also
known as Babbington, which
is a village of that name nearly
5 miles west of here. This is all
down to the nineteenth century
mining entrepreneur Thomas
North who sank Cinderhill
colliery in 1841. When he died
his portfolio of collieries, which
included Newcastle (5), Broxtowe
(6), Strelley and Babbington
were grouped together and
known collectively as 'The
Babbington Estate' - Babbington
being one of his earliest. It is
well known that North died in
debt in 1868 as Collieries such
as Cinderhill required large
investments: engines, timber
yards, repair work, brick yards,
horses, ropes and drainage.
But had he lived just another
three years he would have seen
the fruits of his labour. At his
funeral crowds lined the streets
to pay their respects and raise
funds for a memorial which still
stands in a graveyard off Church
St in Basford (7). Many were
thankful that he had provided
employment and housing for
people who had previously
struggled as Framework Knitters