We thought last week’s Mystery Photograph might be a bit difficult, but well done to those of you who guessed Writhlington Colliery correctly.
Congratulations to: Simon Chard, Paul Hancock, Robert Brailsford, Neil Gillard, Richard Edwards, Angela Roberts, Les Box and Hannah Selway, David Swift, Colin Button, Peter Box, Dave Seddon, Ivor Davis, Eric Brain, Vince Gill, Maragret Willcox, Katie Thayer, Alan and Norma Norris, Tony Young, Valerie Rogers, Jonathan Griffin, Roy Barnes and Val Rogers,
Many thanks to Robin Singh who said: “The photo shows Lower Writhlington Colliery, taken looking south from hillside, with railway sidings and coal wagons leading onto the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway.
“The mine closed in 1973, so my guess is that this shot may have been taken in 1960’s or so. Background, top left, building is the Vale House which still exists, buildings demolished, newer house built nearby. Writhlington Manor house (demolished 1937, mentioned in The Journal on 23rd March 2018) used to be centre right, behind the winding wheel. Part of this scene exists as a model railway which was on the top floor of Radstock Museum.”
Lucy Tudor kindly described last week’s Mystery Photograph to The Journal: “This is a lovely photo of Writhlington Colliery which is now long gone. I think it was only demolished in the late 1960s (your readers will know) there will be many of your readers who worked at this colliery one of the last ones to remain open.
“The photographer is standing on the hill just up the lane which runs from Writhlington to Peasedown St John.
“He is standing with his back to Peasedown St John and Braysdown and looking across the valley towards Ammerdown with Writhlington village being out of view on the top right-hand-side of the photograph (although some old buildings are visible to the top of the right-hand-side).
“The large house in the middle ground is still there on the lane, also visible next to the large house, which goes on up to join the main road to Frome just beyond Writhlington but before Ammerdown Crossroads.
“The railway line in the foreground is now the cycle path from Radstock (right hand side) to Shoscombe and beyond (left hand side).
“Your readers will know, but I believe the large house was the Pit Manager's house, but I am not 100% sure.”
If you have an old photograph you think would suit the Mystery Photograph feature, please feel free to send a copy in to: Paulton House, Old Mills, Paulton, Bristol, BS39 7SX or email: [email protected]
Can you guess where this week's Mystery Photograph was taken? Thank you to reader Jeff Parsons for sending this one in.