Our Future

The Friends are exploring a number of different options regarding possible future uses of the site as they make progress in removing the signs of past neglect and making good the damage from theft and vandalism.

These plans seek to embrace the heritage of the site – its mining and social history, whilst aiming to bring new life to the site, through Friends activities and working with the local community and partner organisations.

This page is designed to provide space for development suggestions and report on the progress being made. It includes successful bids for major repairs and projects and other donations. We also maintain a public page to acknowledge donations if an acknowlegement or commemoration is requested.

June 2014 – The Friends of Hemingfield Colliery take ownership of the site of the Hemingfield Pumping Station, with the main and water shafts of the former Hemingfield Colliery.

Dearne Valley Landscape Partnership – Landscape Conservation Action Plan

September-November 2014 – Sheffield School of Architecture Live Project work

January 2015 – Installation of security door and shutters – essential for site safety, security and conservation. Funded by Northern Mines Research Society (NMRS) project grant.

February 2015 – Conservation report survey (Rance Booth Smith Architects)

November 2015 – Received grant from the AESSEAL Charitable Trusts Grassroots Endowment Fund for South Yorkshire, administered by South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation. Provides funds for site insurance 2015-16, development of FoHC promotional materials to raise awareness and community engagement, and practical tools and equipment for volunteer work on site.

September 2016 – Funding secured for conservation reconstruction of roof of original 1846 winding engine house and extension. Funders include Dearne Valley Landscape Partnership, Association for Industrial Archaeology and Subterranea Britannica

November 2018 – Thanks to National Lottery players, through the support of National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Friends were successful in their bid for our biggest project to date: Hemingfield Colliery Restoration – saving, sharing and celebrating Hemingfield’s hidden history. The project’s aims included:
- Securing Pump House Cottage (formerly inaccessible, in private ownership as rented accommodation)
- Reuniting the two halves of the former colliery site (the pumping station buildings and shafts with the private Pump House cottage)

- Improving site management for access for visitors, landscaping and future maintenance.
- Sharing and celebrate the mining and industrial history and heritage with Elsecar, Hemingfield, the local region and beyond.
- Opening Pump House Cottage for the long-term benefit of the local community to engage with the built heritage as well as provide better facilities for volunteers and visitors to the site.

April 2019 – A new historical interpretation board on Hemingfield Colliery is installed next to Hemingfield Basin, on the TransPennine Trail, thanks the Heritage Lottery Fund’s support to the Dearne Valley Landscape Partnership. The Friends provided the historical data and images and will take care of the board in future.

September 2019 – FoHC came second in a local Tesco Bags of Help scheme through votes from the local community. £2,000 of support to help provide essential tools and materials to maintain, repair and restore the Colliery site.

2019 Pump House Cottage finally secured from Coal Authority thanks to National Lottery Heritage Fund Support under Hemingfield Colliery Restoration – saving, sharing and celebrating Hemingfield’s hidden history award in November 2018.

October 2020 Historic England schedule the colliery site, and list Pump House Cottage, Grade II providing national recognition of the importance of the surviving historic buildings alongside others in the Elsecar Heritage Action Zone area.

March 2022 Good Neighbours News Community Award Scheme award £200 (to be used on restoring Pump House Cottage garden)

January 2023 A new interpretation board on Hemingfield colliery (including a still from a fantastic digital recreation of the pit in 1880) in installed by Barnsley Museums to replace the 2019 DVLP board). The board was prepared with research and materials provided by the Friends.

May 2023 As part of the Hemingfield’s Hidden History National Lottery Heritage Fund project, the Friends commissioned a new visual identity – a distinctive logo designed by local graphic designer Michael Burke.
2024 The Friends celebrate their 10th anniversary year.

2024 May – Donation in memory of Charles Ostcliffe and Charles Ernest Hardy who noth worked at Hemingfield by descendant Jane Ainsworth. See our Acknowledgement page.
2024 May – Good Neighbours News Community Award Scheme award a further £200 (to be used on repairs in and around Pump House Cottage)