11. Many establishments were small and in particular there were a large number of shallow bell pits extracting coal. 12. The other early method used was the digging of bell pits with lateral tunnels, called drifts, following the vein. 13. It was previously exploited for coal resources which is evident by large sections having undulating surfaces caused by the sinking of bell pits . 14. When the Kendleshire golf course was built, the remains of many bell pits were found and there are probably many more in the area. 15. Mining was initially limited to bell pits until the arrival of steam engines, which along with improved ventilation, made possible much deeper pits. 16. The woodlands are situated on Coal Measures, and present in the woodlands are numerous bell pits , which have been used to provide coal. 17. The early mines would have been drift mines or adits where coal seams outcropped or by shallow bell pits where coal was close to the surface. 18. The remains of a number of mines and bell pits can be seen, including the former St Helen's Colliery on Moor Lane in Highburton. 19. Coal had been mined at Featherstone since the 13th century and remains of bell pits can still be seen to the north of Park Lane at North Featherstone. 20. Not all mines were deep underground; Bell pits were a cheap and easy way at getting at an ore that lay close to the surface of flat land.
