Burn Of Loinherry

Archaeological field survey has recorded the remains of an old ironstone mine and a smithy, lying in the upper valley of the Burn of Loinherry, just 700m to the south of the Lecht Ski Centre.

The smithy survives as a rectangular area, dug into sloping ground and is now defined by no more than a few scarps marking the line of the walls. The building measured approximately 7.5m by 4m, and was open on one side. A level platform in one corner may mark the site of a hearth or forge.

Visible to the north and east of the smithy, lying on each bank of the Burn of Loinherry, are several spoil heaps which mark the sites where waste material was dumped. Some depressions and areas of exposed outcrop located nearby may indicate where working took place.

Documentary evidence of the nineteenth century sheds light upon the operations which took place here. It seems likely that, though the iron ore proved to be of a high quality, it was never exploited commercially due to the prohibitive costs of transporting it from the site for smelting. Plans for a railway were drawn up but were apparently never executed.

Text prepared by RCAHMS as part of the Accessing Scotland's Past project

NJ21SW 16 2491 1226, 2493 1224 and 2493 1226

For ironstone mine at NJ 2432 1026, see NJ21SW 17.

Iron Mine [NAT] (at NJ 2491 1226)

Smithy [NAT] (at NJ 2493 1224)

OS 1:10,560 map, 1872.

'Iron Mine. This name is applied to a few trial holes in a hill in the immediate neighbourhood of the Leight. The stone is considered by those who are judges to contain a high percentage of ore, but in consequence of its being so far from any railway the expenses of working it would be very great. There is no company working it at present. The property of Mr Farquharson, Allargue.'

OS Name Book, 1869.

The remains of the ironstone mine and smithy depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Aberdeenshire, sheet lix, 1872) can be identified in an area of deep, heather-covered peat in the upper valley of the Burn of Loinherry, about 700m SSE of the Lecht Ski Centre.

The smithy (NJ 2493 1224) is rectangular on plan but open-sided on the SSE. The interior measures 7.4m from NNW to SSE by about 4m transversely and is defined by scarps on the NNW and ENE, where the interior has been dug into the slope, and a bank 2.1m in thickness and 0.8m in height on the WSW. A level platform within the NNE corner of the building may indicate the location of the smelting-hearth or forge.

Some 22m N of the smithy (NJ 2493 1226) there is a heap of overburden material, measuring up to about 16m from N to S and 3m in height. On the S it is contained by a low stone revetment and on the W it is currently being eroded by the stream. Elsewhere, to the E of the stream, and for the most part to the N of the smithy, there are several amorphous heaps of clinker-like material which may be either ore or waste. Depressions, scree deposits and areas of outcrop to the W of the stream may also indicate areas of working.

A comprehensive collection of records (including geochemical analyses) relating to ironstone workings around the Lecht (and the possible construction of a railway to service them) is held at Allargue House (NJ20NE 13.00) by Colonel F Tuck.

Visited by RCAHMS (RJCM, JRS), 14 July 1997.