1900 plan for Warsop Vale mining village in Norringhamshire
Unlike the Industrial cities, that became melting pots of disparate culture, the many mining communities retained village mentality. Clustered around the pithead, their thinking became cloistered and protective and Heritage was a highly personal thing. Mining communities could be only five miles apart, but to step from one to other could be like crossing the English, Welsh border. The occupants of one mining community were very likely to view the other with some suspicion, but still recognise the similarities of their heritage with agrudging sense of the greater community. In my corner of Nottinghamshire you were very aware of which community you came from. If further evidence is needed, I have to cite the difficulties the NUM had trying to bond a regional dispute into a national stand.