colliery and the ironworks, although the colliery had had its own internal horsedrawn system since the early 18th century. From 1872 until 1888 the Mostyn Coal & Iron Co, was owned by Joshua Lancaster. Closure The Mostyn Coal and Iron Company went into liquidation in 1879, in no small part due to changes within the ironworks business, however the full circumstances may never be known, as much of the historical record has been lost. The lease to the colliery was sold as a going concern by the liquidator. The O.S Six-inch map of 1881, shows Hanmer Colliery at 53.31293,-3.25588, and a Copper Works and Ayton Pit where Warwick Chemicals is now. Disaster beset the colliery in 1884 when the river broke through and completely overwhelmed the pits. The event inspired a Welsh-language song. The colliery never re-opened, despite a takeover in 1887 by a Lancashire company to form the Darwen and Mostyn Iron Company, thus ending over 620 years of coal production at Mostyn. However, by this time, serious explorations were under way at the nearby Point of Ayr site, which would ultimately become one of the last deep coal mines in Wales when it closed in 1996. References Bibliography External links Welsh Coal Mines website - research the history of the local pit Buildings and structures in Flintshire Coal mines in Wales Underground mines in Wales