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Easington Colliery was begun in 1899. Work continued on it until 1904 when water burst into it killing one man. It was completed in 1909. In 1951 an underground explosion killed over 80 men. The mine employed 1,100 men at its peak before it was closed in 1993. By July 1994 the shafts had been filled in and most of the buildings had been demolished. The colliery site is now a park and only a few remnants like this south shaft vent (one of the four shafts) are left to remind you of its previous use.
The year long Miner's Strike in 1984-1985 which foreboded the closure of the north-east deep mines, and the job losses which later ensued have made a huge impact on the life of the close knit community that coal had brought into existence.
The structure on the hill to the right of the mine-shaft vent is the memorial pit cage NZ4344 : Pit Cage Monument, Easington Colliery.