THE COLLIERY
In 1840, the Haswell Coal Company began to sink a colliery to the west of Old Shotton, near Shotton Grange Farm. This pit began producing coal the following year and the village of Shotton Colliery soon started to develop.
The pit was initially prosperous, but closed on November 3, 1877, causing people to leave the village to work at other pits in the area. In 1900, the pit reopened and grew rapidly, leading to an increased population in the village. More housing was built, making other industries, including the Coke Works and the Brick Works, less popular.
By 1947, the original houses, east of the railway line were in disrepair. Most of the bottom of Front Street was demolished.
In 1972, the National Coal Board announced that it was closing the colliery, at a cost of 800 jobs. The Colliuery formally closed on 1st September 1972.
Easington District Council built new housing in the 1970s, pulling down most of the remaining pit houses in an attempt to improve the village. Throughout most of the 1970s, work was done to remove the pit heap, which was at one time the largest in the country. The Brick Works and Coke Works went with the pit.
The only pit building left is now used as a second hand car show room. The remains of the pit baths remain semi-derelict.