Description:Part of Littleton stockyard is picture here, with coal screening buildings in the background.
Cannock and Huntington Collieries Company started sinking both No. 1 Shaft and No. 2 Shaft in January 1877. By 1881 the shafts were sunk to just over 400ft (121m) but severe water problems caused the shafts to be abandoned. In 1897 Lord Hatherton, on whose land the venture stood, decided to re-open the shafts if this was possible. A third shaft (No. 3 Shaft) was started but No. 1 was left full of water, and so by 1902 No. 2 and No. 3 shafts were sunk through all the Cannock Chase coal measures to a depth of 1644ft (501m). All the seams were worked at different intervals of time until the colliery's closure in December 1994. At its peak the colliery employed 2000 men.