Big Pit – a colliery in the southern Welsh town of Blaenavon – closed its doors on 2 February 1980. In its 19th-century heyday the mine had supported thousands of locals but, as the 1980s were beginning, this mine gave up its last lumps of coal. Big Pit, however, hadn’t quite finished providing for the local community yet as three years later, its doors reopened. The mine was no longer a fossil-fuel production point, though – it was now a cutting-edge museum, dedicated to preserving and remembering the important mining industry of South Wales. Since that day over 3.5 million people have visited Big Pit, and discovered the incredible legacy of the site.
MAIN: Perfectly preserved, Blaenavon’s last deep coal mine is now a key heritage site INSET: A giant submerged industrial wheel welcomes visitors to the museum
ALAMY X3, BIG PIT NATIONAL COAL MUSEUM X5
GETTING THERE: To access Big Pit by car, exit the M4 at J25a (westbound) or J26 (eastbound) and follow the brown signs. Regular buses run from Blaenavon town to Big Pit, Monday to Saturday.