Welcome to SGMRG...

South Gloucestershire has a rich and varied mining history, the date of the earliest mining in the area is now lost in antiquity but coal was worked in this area up until 1963, other forms of open cast mining continued later still. The mining remains cover a vast area from South Bristol, Easton, Kingswood to Coalpit Heath, Yate and Cromhall - and even Filton. Most of the mining was for coal, but ochre, celestine, iron, lead and stone were also mined in the area.

South Gloucestershire Mines Research Group (SGMRG) was set up by local people to understand, record and where appropriate preserve the remains, of what was once an extensive industry, for the present community and future generations. SGMRG is a voluntary organisation that relies on grants and donations from local people. Our membership is made up of archaeologists, surveyors, historians, engineers, cavers and those simply interested in finding more about what lies under their feet.

We have regular meetings, walks and talks including the opportunity to get involved in exploration, archaeology and resotoration work. If you would like to join SGMRG, please visit our Membership Page.

We are always interested to hear about new finds, old buildings or artefacts from the mining era. Do you have relatives who were involved in mining? If you have any information to share with us, please let us know.

If you wish to enquire about new or existing projects, please contact our Projects Manager. If you'd like to get in contact with us for any other reason, please see the details on our contacts page.

The SGMRG have made efforts to trace the ownership and gain approval of those with rights to images or documents on this site. If you are the holder, for instance, of copyright on an item and we have been unable to trace you, please contact the Chairman, so that you may be acknowledged and/or remedial action taken.