Pleasley Pit Coal Mining Heritage Site

Pleasley Pit Coal Mining Heritage Site (historically known as Pleasley Colliery) is a preserved Victorian coal mine in Derbyshire, England, operated by volunteers. Dating back to the 1870s, it is a Scheduled Ancient Monument featuring rare, fully restored steam winding engines, a mining museum, and a surrounding nature reserve. 

Key Features of the Site

• The Mining Museum: Visitors can explore the original colliery buildings, which display extensive mining memorabilia, equipment, and photographs detailing the lives of local miners.
• Steam Winding Engines: The site's showpieces are two massive, fully restored steam winding engines (built by Lilleshall in 1904 and Markham in 1922), which were responsible for lowering and raising men and coal.
• Nature Reserve: Once a spoil heap, the surrounding land has been reclaimed as a Local Nature Reserve featuring ponds, woodlands, and walking trails.
• Historic Ties: The land was originally leased in 1872 to the Stanton Iron Company by William Nightingale, the father of Florence Nightingale.