Langleyfield Collieries

Owner: Coalbrookdale Company 1803 - 1826
Langley Field Company 1826 - 1856
Beriah Botfield 1856 - 1872
Haybridge Company 1872 - 1885
Sunk in ca. 1803 closed ca. 1885

1901 Map

There were at least ten shafts working at various times between 1803 and 1885, and they produced coal and ironstone. This large colliery was originally owned by the Coalbrookdale Company and in 1826 was sold to the Langley Field Company in which George Bishton and Adam Wright were partners. The colliery, ironworks and brick yard established here by Bishton and Wright were bought by Beriah Botfield in 1856, and after the breakup of the Botfield Empire the colliery was owned by the Haybridge Company.

Valuable Freehold & Leasehold Estates And Mines.
At Langley, in Shropshire.
To Be Sold By auction,

At the Jerningham Arms Inn, Shiffnal, on Tuesday, the 12th day of April, 1836, at four o’clock in the afternoon, in one or more lots, or shares, and subject to such conditions as shall be determined on at the time of sale:

Freehold.

All those two Messuages or Dwelling Houses, with nine Cottages for workmen, Warehouses, Shops, Stables, Outbuildings, Yards, and Gardens, and several pieces or parcels of Land thereto belonging, situate at Langley Field, in the parish of Dawley Magna, in the county of Salop, containing together, by estimation, 30a 2r 28p. or thereabouts, with the Mining works thereon erected, and the valuable Mines of coal, and iron-stone, clay, and other minerals under the same.

On this property are two blast furnaces, one bridge house, two casting houses, one blast engine sixty horse power with four boilers complete, three cupolas (one at work as a foundry, and has a good casting house and stove, and the fires are blown from the blast engine), one steam engine to wind materials to the top of the furnaces, a blacksmith’s shop, an air furnace for heating boiler plates, and a punching engine, three machines for weighing coals and stone, three field winding engines, several shafts down to the mine, two stoves, one oven, one kiln for making bricks, and a mill for grinding fire clay, and every other possible convenience for carrying on the mines and works in full vigour.

N. B. One of the houses is a public house and is let with about 5 acres of Land for a term of years determinable on three lives aged about 37, 35, and 33 years, at a reserved annual rent of £25.

This property is subject to the payment of half yearly instalments of £500 without interest, until Lady-day, 1841.

Also all those mines or veins of coal and randle coals and penny stone, lying and being in and under two several pieces of Land called Upper Langley, containing together, by estimation, 7a. 2r. 0p. or thereabouts, situate at Langley, aforesaid, adjoining the property above described, and held under a contract of purchase from the Coalbrookdale Company, subject to the payment of £198. Per quarter without interest, until Lady day, 1839.

It is computed that there are about 100 acres of various mines of coals, and about 80 acres of various mines of ironstone remaining ungotten in the above mentioned freehold property.

Leasehold.

All those mines or veins of coal and ironstone, and minerals in and under four several pieces of Land called Upper Dam Piece, Langley and Middle Moor, Near Moor, and part of Whitehead’s Leasow, containing together, by estimation, 19a. 2r. 25p. situate at Langley aforesaid, and held for a term which will expire on the 20th of March, 1839, subject to the annual payment of £315. Without interest.

On this property is one winding engine, and two pit shafts to the mine, railways, stables, and other conveniences.

It is computed that there ate upwards of 40 acres of various mimes of coal, and about 30 acres of various mines of ironstone remaining ungotten in this leasehold property.

Likewise the Tenant’s Interest in a parol agreement for holding the lands under which the above leasehold mines lie, at an annual rent of £50. 18s. 2d.

In the present flourishing state of the Iron Trade it seems to be almost superfluous to point out the great advantage which the purchaser will derive by entering into and carrying on a mining concern altogether complete and in full work, and which requires no additional outlay of capital.

For particulars apply to Richard Mountford Esq., Shiffnal; or at Mersrs. R. and R. Fisher’s office in Newport, Salop.

Langley Field Furnaces and Colliery,
Situate in the Midst of the Rich and Valuable District of Shropshire,
Comprising a desirable Freehold Mining Estate, Two large and capital Smelting Furnaces, powerful Blast Engine, Four Whimsey and other Engines, Weighing Machines, old licensed Public House, Workmen’s Cottages, Offices, and numerous other Buildings.
To be sold by auction, by
Messrs. Walker & Page,

At the Jerningham Arms Inn, at Shiffnal, in the county of Salop, on Tuesday the 27th day of August, 1844, at Four o’clock in the afternoon, subject to such conditions as will be then and there produced and read ;

All that very valuable Freehold Property, known as the Langley Field Ironworks and Colliery, situate in the parish of Dawley, and county of Salop, immediately surrounded by the extensive mining operations of the Coalbrookdale Company, the works of Messrs. Botfield, Darby, and others, consisting of two large smelting furnaces, capable of making upwards of 110 tons of iron per week, with the large and complete casting houses and foundry, three cupolas and drying stove, a very superior 27-horse power blast engine, three feet cylinder and seven feet stroke, with three boilers, substantial stone engine house, long ranges of blast pipes large blowing tub, and all other necessary apparatus and machinery, in excellent condition ; attached to the inclined plane is an 8-horse power engine, with brick engine house, and suitable brick and tile bridge house.

Also the very valuable Mineral Estate called Langley Fields, immediately surrounding the said works, in nearly a ring fence, containing about thirty acres, with the remaining Mines of Clay, Coal, Ironstone, and other minerals in and under the same, in all fourteen measures, part of which remain wholly untouched. Also Will be included in this lot about 3 ¼ acres of Pennystone, now lying under the Upper Langley Field, adjoining the estate.

There are erected on the estate double and single weighing machines, store rooms, large blacksmith’s shop, offices, four stables, lime and brick kilns, twelve cottages for workmen, an old licensed public house, with suitable outbuildings connected there with.

There are also erected upon the land, for the purpose of raising the mines, and which will be delivered to the purchaser at a valuation, two very superior twenty-four horse power whimsey engines (one very nearly new), with proper boilers and well built brick engine houses, a 15-horse power iron whimsey engine, two water lifting pumps attached, with strong double chains, two strong pit frames and proper gearing to each whimsey ; there are two pairs of eight feet and one pair of nine feet pit shafts sunk through the various measures, with proper gate and drift roads and headings, sufficient for exhausting the whole of the mines without further expensive operations.

The property is intersected with tram roads in every requisite direction, and is admirably arranged for carrying on the works at as little expense as possible, and contains within itself every convenience required for making superior iron, and the whole of the works may be put into full operation in a very short space of time, at a comparatively trifling outlay.

Further particulars may be obtained, and plans and sections of the estate showing the various workings and the mines yet remaining untouched, may be seen at the offices of Mr. George Robinson, solicitor, Wolverhampton ; the Auctioneers, of the same place ; Mr. Brown solicitor, Shiffnal ; and at the house of Mr. J. Egerton, Angel Inn, Dawley, who will show the property.

Langley Field Colliery. – Death from Falling into a Pit. – On Friday an awful death occurred from a man’s falling from the top of the shaft of a pit, nearly two hundred yards to the bottom, where his head was literally shattered to pieces from the fall. In bringing up the poor broken body, it was found necessary to collect the brains of the unfortunate deceased in a separate state, from their being actually spattered about at the bottom of the shaft. A coroner’s inquest was held upon the corpse, when a verdict was returned according to the above facts.

Langley Field Iron Works,
In the Parish of Dawley Magna, Shropshire.
To Be Sold By Auction,
By Mr. John Barber,

(By order of the Mortgagee), at the Bull’s Head Inn, Wellington, on Thursday the 8th day of June 1848, at half past 4 o’clock in the afternoon, precisely, and subject to conditions then to be produced.

The following valuable Freehold property, consisting of a moiety of the Langley Iron works, with the Blast furnaces, Cottages and Gardens, Brickworks, Buildings, Public House and several pieces or parcels of arable and pasture Land, the whole containing 30a. 2r. 28p. or thereabouts, situate in the parish of Dawley Magna, in the county of Salop.

For further information apply at the office of the Auctioneer, Mill Bank, Wellington, where a plan of the Property may be seen.

In August 1861 there was only one furnace at Langley Field and it was out of blast, Proprietor Beriah Botfield.

In January 1862 there was only one furnace at Langley Field and it was out of blast, Proprietor Beriah Botfield.

Shropshire
Important Sale of a Valuable Freehold Estate,

With extensive Ironworks, Collieries. Un-gotten mines of Coal and Ironstone, several Messuages, two old-licensed Inns, and numerous Cottages, situated at Hinckshay, Langley Field, Stirchley, and Dark Lane, in the parishes of Dawley and Stirchley, Salop.

Mr. Barber will Sell by Auction, at the Wrekin Hotel Wellington, on Friday Next, the 14th day of June instant, at Three o’clock in the afternoon, in one Lot (unless previously disposed of by private contract), and subject to conditions of sale to be then produced.

The Estate comprises 211a 2r of Freehold Land, and includes the well-known Stirchley Iron Works, containing two forges, with two engines of twenty-two and twenty-horse power ; twenty-six puddling furnaces, three forge hammers, four ball and heating furnaces, and four pairs of rolls ; two plate mills, with two engines of about twenty-four horse-power each ; three pairs of rolls, five heating furnaces, with shears, &c., complete ; one sheet mill, with heating and annealing furnace and shears : one merchant and hoop mill, 15 in. train, with two heating furnaces, cropping and cutting down shears and cranes, one guide mill, sin train, with two heating furnaces, cranes. &c., complete, the latter three mills being driven by a 96-horse-power steam engine, with all necessary boilers and apparatus : also a steam engine saw, with two lathes, blacksmiths’ and carpenters’ shops, warehouses, clerks’ office, weighing machines, &c., capable of turning out 1,200 tons of finished iron per month ; also at Hinkshay and Dark-lane, four blast furnaces, with hot-air stoves and apparatus ; foundry, powerful steam engines, weighing machines, smiths shops, &c. ; also, ten pairs of coal and ironstone pits, with nine steam engines, varying from eleven to teeny-four horse power each, with boilers complete ; also, at Langley Field, a Blast Furnace and sixty-three horse-power engine, with hot-air stoves and engine house ; also, timber and brickyards, with offices, workshops, turning lathe with 24ft, bed, boring and drilling machines, driven by a ten-horse power horizontal steam engine, fitting shops, warehouses, and storerooms ; also, several well-built Messuages, with buildings and appurtenances, occupied by the managers and clerks ; also an old-licensed Inn, at Hinkshay, called the White Hart ; another Inn, called the Bird-in-Hand ; also, upwards of 200 Workmen’s Cottages, and stables, machine houses, &c. ; together with the ungotten mines of Coal and Ironstone under various parts of the estate, comprising big and little flint, clod, yard, two-feet and sulphur coals, and blue and white flat and top and second fleece penny stones.

There are three reservoirs for supplying the works with water. The whole being situated most advantageously for carrying on an extensive trade, having siding accommodation, with tramways direct into the works, at two points on the Hadley and Coalport branch of the London and North Western Railway. Four miles from Wellington and three from Shifnal, Salop.

The above property is being sold under the treats of the will of the late owner, Beriah Botfield, Esq., and deserves the attention of capitalists, ironmasters, and others seeking a first-class investment. The works are nearly in full operation, and the make of Stirchley iron is justly celebrated in the market, ranking amongst the first brands, and eagerly sought after.

There are ample seams of coal and ironstone under various parts of the estate capable of carrying on the furnaces for many years. A considerable portion of the land is good sound arable, meadow, and pasture, of fertile quality, and many of the messuages are of recent erection. There is a well-arranged brickyard on the estate, where bricks of a superior quality are made for use in the works, and on the property generally.

The collieries, furnaces, and forges, are in the hands of the representatives of the late proprietor.

The agricultural portions of the lands are let to good substantial tenants, and the cottages are chiefly occupied by men engaged in the works.

The property is principally surrounded by lands of Edward Cheeney, Esq., Lord Stafford, W. K. Slaney, Esq., and the Coalbrookdale company.

Plans, particulars, and conditions of sale may be had by applying to Mr Summers, at the Dark Lane Office, near Shifnal ; at the Midland Counties Herald Office. Birmingham ; to Mr Barber, Auctioneer and Surveyor, Wellington (?? whose Office plans showing the workings of the mines may be inspected) ; or to Mr Marston, Solicitor, Ludlow.