The former colliery of Trefrane/Trefran nestles in a small valley at the southern end of Newgale Beach. The extant remains comprise a substantially intact stone and brick chimney (Grade II listed), the adjacent foundations of the former engine house, and a related spoil tip situated to the west.
The accessibility from the coast of western arm of the Pembrokeshire coal field lead to a series of coal mines being located around the south-eastern corner of St Brides Bay. Notably associated with the villages of Little Haven, Broad Haven and Nolton Haven. Trefrane was part of the wider Nolton colliery and coal from Trefrane was taken to Nolton to be loaded onto small ships that beached directly onto the sand. Similar processes for loading took place at other the other villages. Coal from such mines was often shipped locally, to nearby harbours such as Porthclais (NPRN 34342) to provide fuel for lime kilns.
It is difficult to establish a precise chronology for the site of Trefrane. Reference to ordnance survey maps indicate numerous ‘culm pits’ (coal pits) in the surrounding area, while the nearby colliery at Black Cliff (NPRN91979) to the south is thought to have been in use in earlier periods. There may have been as many as six collieries in the Nolton and Newgale area in the late 19th century.
Trefrane specifically, seems to have been opened in the 1850s, possibly 1854, under the ownership of Thomas and Canton, appearing on the list of mines as ‘Trevane’. By 1870 it was solely owned by David Canton but seems to have been idle in 1874 when it is not included in the list of mines. The site was then reopened in 1888 under the ownership of Walters and Canton. The 1896 Inspector of Mines list notes 36 people employed at the site, including 8 surface workers. Trefrane then ceased production in 1906 or 1907 after which it was classed as ‘idle’.
Sources
CADW Listing https://cadwpublic-api.azurewebsites.net/reports/listedbuilding/FullReport?lang=&id=19085
Dyfed Archaeological Trust HER: DAT7266, DAT107917
Extract from: Driver, T. 2007. Pembrokeshire, Historic Landscapes from the Air, RCAHMW, page 71, Figure 107.
J.Whitewright, RCAHMW March 2022