Originally known as the Clydach Vale Collieries, No.1 was sunk in 1872 and No. 2 in 1874, both by S. Thomas & J. Riches & Co. Ltd. They were sold to the Cambrian Colliery Co. Ltd., in 1885, who immediately sunk a third shaft. A fourth shaft was sunk in 1891.

An explosion occurred here on Friday the 9th of March 1905 killing 31 miners. Many of the victims were so badly burned it made identification impossible some were only recognized by their brass lamp checks. Although the cause of the disaster was never proven there was a theory that a fall had occurred, which left a cavity in the roof were gas accumulated, the fireman David Enoch was erecting a brattice sheet in order to deflect the airflow into the cavity to disperse the gas, when there was another fall of rock, which damaged his safety lamp and in doing so exposing the lamps naked flames to the explosive mixture of gas and air with disastrous results. The damaged lamp had been found near to the remains of the unfortunate fireman thus backing up this theory.

In 1918 the workforce was 4,033.

Work ceased at the Cambrian No. 3 in 1936.

In 1947 the remaining Cambrian pits employed 1,346 men.

On the 17th of May 1965 another explosion occurred at this fateful colliery and once again killing 31 miners. The number of deaths might have been even greater if it was for the fact the colliery was being run down in readiness for closure and half of the 800 workforce had already been transferred into other collieries. Many of the victims died as a result of carbon monoxide (afterdamp) poisoning, the rest died from multiply injuries. At the enquiry it was revealed an electrical flash from a switch, which had been left uncovered caused the explosion. It was also noted there was a sense of complacency within the mine concerning ventilation.

This was the last pit disaster in the Rhondda.

The colliery was closed in 1966.