The Hall Pit, Netherton

This photo shows a delivery of pit props in the pit yard. The length of the props presumably indicates the height of the seam. Photographs at Woodhorn Museum show that many miners in the area worked in seams much lower than this, and at the end of Netherton Colliery's working life men were crawling through tunnels no more than 2 feet high to get out the last accessible coal.

The Hall Pit was beside the road to the west of Nedderton Village, near Nedderton Hall. Old maps show that Nedderton village was originally called Netherton. Apparently the Post Office asked for the name change because the confusion with Netherton near Rothbury led to problems delivering mail. The name of Nedderton village was changed, but for some reason the name Netherton Colliery remained. Older people who had lived in the village before the spelling was changed to 'Nedderton' still used to call it Netherton Village.

This link shows a 1920 map of the location of the Hall Pit, with Nedderton village being clearly identified as 'Netherton'.

http://communities.northumberland.gov.uk/006672FS.htm