Chislet Colliery was located next to the Canterbury - Margate road, north east of Canterbury. Work began on the site with the sinking of two shafts in 1914, after the Anglo-Westphalian Kent Coalfield Limited discovered coal in mineable quantities near the village of Chislet.
The involvement of the Germans caused questions to be asked in the House of Commons and, in 1914, the local director, Herr Willi Perits, became a "guest of the nation" at Alexandra Palace. The company changed its name in November of that year, becoming North Kent Coalfield Limited. During the war, severe labour shortages were encountered. The name was also changed again, to Chislet Colliery Ltd. The colliery began producing coal in 1918.
The village of Chislet (sometimes called Chislet Colliery Village) grew around the pit to house the bulk of the miners, who were largely recruited from Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire, Lanarkshire, Northumberland, Durham and Wales. Initially, many of them were living in Ramsgate and Margate and were brought by special trains, first to Grove Ferry Station, later to Chislet Colliery Halt. In 1929, the village was renamed Hersden.
Chislet continued to produce coal through the miners' strikes of the 1920s and the Second World War. It also survived nationalisation in 1947 and continued production until closure of the pit on 25th July 1969.