EPW015007 ENGLAND (1926). Market Street and environs, Hednesford, 1926

An earlier name was 'Pool Pits' and was named after old Hednesford Pool which the pit overlooked (the pool had been drained by 1931 to make the town park).



It was opened by the Cannock and Rugeley Colliery Company in 1874 and continued until it merged with West Cannock No.5 pit in 1962.



The name 'Valley Pit' became the accepted name for the pit as Tezzer has said. An examination of local maps seems to indicate the name appears to have changed around 1938.



The next phase of the pits usage after the pit closed was as the Valley Training Centre and was used by the local National Coal Board mines to training men in mining based electrical and mechanical engineering as well as other necessary mining skills.



After the NCB had finished with the site it be came the base for several county council job creation schemes before finally settling into its current role as the local museum. Displays detailing local mining, military and social history topics can be viewed there.