Atherton Collieries

The first deep shafts sunk at Atherton were by John Fletcher. The family firm of Fletcher, Burrows & Co. sank numerous shafts in the vicinity of the village of Atherton including Gibfield, Howe Bridge and Hindsford. Nationalized in 1947, the collieries were operated by the National Coal Board until the closure of Chanters Colliery in 1966. Howe Bridge was the largest and longest-operated of the lo...