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Forest Heritage Scotland webpage - Wilsontown Ironworks

Date 2009

Event ID 588260

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Publication Account

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/588260

The website text produced for Wilsontown Ironworks webpages on the Forest Heritage Scotland website (www.forestheritagescotland.com).

Introduction: The Wilsons of Wilsontown

Wilsontown Ironworks, established in 1779, was one of the first coke-fired blast furnace ironworks in Scotland.

The Wilson brothers, Robert, John and William, built the ironworks to take advantage of the coal and iron ore that was available on their land, the Cleugh estate.

The works grew over the next three decades, and a village developed beside it, with its own shop, school and even a pub.

Unfortunately bad management and family disagreements meant that the company closed down in 1812. The works were re-opened by William Dixon in 1821 but in 1842 the doors of Wilsontown Ironworks closed for the final time.

Today grass covers the small valley where the factory once stood, a quiet spot to enjoy a walk. At first glance it appears that little remains of the ironworks. Wander around the site, however, and you will begin to see traces of what once was in the landscape; the ghost of an industry.

Industrious activity once filled the entire clearing. Imagine the dramatic contrast to today; the large and busy factory with its chimneys bellowing black smoke and the noise of the steam hammers ringing out.

There were hand dug bell pits for mining the ironstone, railways to transport the coal to the factory and rows of housing, one called Quality Row, for the workers and their families.

People story: Famile feuds

Legal documents recording the Wilson family arguments tell the story of the demise of their business.

From the beginning the youngest brother William was concerned about entering into the iron business with his brothers. Despite being in a successful business with his middle brother John, he felt there were risks. Firstly, none of them knew anything about making iron, a complicated and difficult process. Secondly, William had already saved his eldest brother Robert from debt from similar ill thought out ventures in the past.

William was right to be concerned; in 1784 he and John bought Robert out due to his bad management. This should have signalled better times for the ironworks but sadly it did not.

Over the next ten years the brothers' business relationship fell apart.

By 1793 William wanted to close the factory or have John buy his part of the business as it was losing money. John would not allow either. At one point William took a double-barrelled shot gun and threatened Alexander Gunn, the works manager appointed by John,

"with most abusive language calling him 'Buffoon, Villian and Rascal"

1793 court records in Donnachie and Butt (1967) "The Wilsons of Wilsontown Ironworks"

William wanted to see the company's books to show to the court that his investment was being misused. John's foreman and his son, also named John, attempted to prevent this; finally leading to the scene above.

Eventually it was resolved and William left the partnership, while John continued to run the factory with his two eldest sons, William and John, until 1812.

Evidence Story: Wilsontown Ironworks Heritage Project

Since 2002 Emma Stewart, the local Forestry Commission Scotland ranger, has been researching the ironworks in response to the local interest in its history.

In 2007 this led to the launch of the Wilsontown Ironworks Heritage Project. The purpose of the project is to highlight the importance of the site by providing locals and visitors with an understanding of its history and its role within Scotland's industrial heritage.

In pulling together the research on the ironworks the project has developed a picture of industrial operations at Wilsontown. Artist Micheal Blackmore used this information to produce reconstruction drawings showing how the ironworks may have looked and operated in its heyday. These illustrations are excellent tools to help us visualize the past.

More recently helicopters were used on the site to remove trees revealing 77 bell pits. These are shallow mines, dug out by hand, in search of iron ore.

People and Organisations

References