Hidden within the woods to the north of the Cannock Chase visitor centre are the remains of Fair Oak Colliery number 2. This coalmine is almost impossible to see on the aerial photographs but the airborne laser scanning data (lidar) provides a good view of the spoil heap and some other remains of this mine.
Chase Through Time 2016 lidar. Source Staffordshire CC/ Fugro Geospatial BV 2016 © Historic England
Old Ordnance Survey maps can provide us with some useful information about sites such as this. The first edition map tells us that the mine was in operation by 1882. It also gives the name of the mine, shows the shafts, buildings and the tramway that linked this mine to the nearby Fair Oak Colliery number 1. We also know that the mine had closed by 1902, the date of the second edition of the map. We will need to do further research to find out the exact dates that the mine was in use and to understand what different activities took place in the mine buildings. If anyone has an interest in mining on Cannock Chase and can help in answering any of these questions, please leave a comment below.
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