There were more than 5,500 men working in the collieries of the Dulais Valley when Cefn Coed Colliery opened in the 1920s. Like many of the coal mines in South Wales, the coal was high quality anthracite. The best coal came from a seam called Big Vein, which at around 2,500 ft underground, made it the deepest anthracite mine in the world. But mining was inherently dangerous, and Cefn Coed was no exception. Mining accidents occurred there so frequently it earned the unenviable nickname of ‘The Slaughterhouse’.

* Please note this attraction is not currently open to the public, apologies for any inconvenience this causes *