In the 14th century, Haswell's small population was nearly wiped out by the Black Death.

[2] Resting on a limestone escarpment, coal was discovered in the early 19th century and a colliery was sunk by 1831.

On 28 September 1844, a blackdamp explosion at killed 95 Haswell Coal Company workers, with just four survivors.

[3] The colliery closed in 1896, and Haswell's population collapsed by 1901 after the miners left, leaving behind a rural settlement.

[2] Haswell was the birthplace of world champion road racing cyclist Tom Simpson, born 30 November 1937, who died aged 29 on Mont Ventoux during the 1967 Tour de France.