Gass Water
Barytes Mine (20th Century)
Site Name Gass Water
Classification Barytes Mine (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Whiteyards
Canmore ID 44761
Site Number NS62SE 9
NGR NS 6580 2170
NGR Description Centred NS 658 217 and 673 211
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/44761
- Council East Ayrshire
- Parish Auchinleck
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Cumnock And Doon Valley
- Former County Ayrshire
NS62SE 9 centred 66 21
The presence of barytes along the Gass Water was known from at least the 1870's, but it was not developed until 1917 by the Hedworth Barium Co. Ltd who carried out opencast operations and stoping from a single adit until 1921. In 1923, the mine was aquired by Wrenhall Baryta Co Ltd and worked almost entirely by overhead stoping (MacGregor et al 1944). It continued in operation until 1964 when it was the largest producer in Britain (Collins 1972). A description of the workings of the mine
in 1944 is contained in a Wartime Pamphlet (MacGregor, MacGregor and Robertson 1944). The main shaft seems to have been at NS 6548 2192 where there are the wasted remains of several brick buildings and a magazine. The crows-foot bing and the shaft at NS 6574 2222 do not appear on the 1944 map and must have been dug after the war. The mining offices, dressing plant and houses for the manager and some of the workers were situated some 600m SSE of Stonebriggs Farm (c NS 626 234) in an area subsumed by the bing of a later mine.
R S Collins 1972; A MacGregor, M Macgregor and T Robertson 1944.
An archaeological desk-based assessment followed by a field inspection were undertaken in November 1995 to evaluate the archaeological potential of the area of a proposed opencast mine. The survey has shown that most of the remains within the area are of industrial archaeological interest. In total, 12 sites were identified which relate to coal extraction. The extensive remains of other types of mineral extraction sites survive. These include the Gass Water Baryite mine, railway and aerial ropeway, as well as the Gass Water Lime Works which includes limekilns and a quarry. Several features associated with agriculture include settlement remains, stock enclosures and field systems. Livestock management sites are represented by shielings and sheepfolds. Evidence for recreational activities include shooting butts, a stable and nearby racecourse. For previous survey work in this area see Lewis and Reed 1992
The following sites and monuments are amongst those recorded during the evaluation (NMRS reference numbers in brackets):
NS 6298 2320 Overhead ropeway (NS62SE 9).
NS 6298 2320 Dam (NS62SE 9).
NS 6292 2378 Welltrees coal pit (NS62SE 9).
NS 6275 2345 Baryite dressing plant (NS62SE 9).
NS 6548 2129 Gass Water Baryite Mine (NS62SE 9)
A report has been produced; a copy will be deposited with the NMRS.
Sponsor: Scottish Coal.
M Cressey and W L Finlayson 1996
NS62SE 26 6564 2191
Extends from NS6532 2215 to 6629 2143 to 6740 2115
Workings (disused) {NR} on current 1:10000 map.
(Location cited as NS657 221) Gas Water Barytes Mines: Small mines with main workings sealed.
Grampian Speleological Group 2008.
Field Visit (March 1992)
NS62SE 9 centred 66 21
The Gass Water mine exploited a series of barytes veins trending approximately NE to SW, the lines of which are visible as a series of discontinuous, ragged open cast trenches as much as 40m across, 30m in depth and extending for some 1100m. Interspersed within these, are a series of shafts and fragments of tramways. There is a particularly fine crows-foot bing on the S side of a shaft at NS 6574 2222, which retains some of the wooden posts for the trolleys. Further workings existed along the Dry Burn (NS 661 212), and to the W at NS 673 212 and NS 673 209 connecting through to the main workings by railway and tramway. The line of the standard gauge light railway runs down the valley of the Gass Water along the line of the track to join the main line at Cronberry. At NS 6355 2270 weathering of the track surface has revealed the railway lines. In the later stages of the mines life, there appears to have been two shafts, the main one (NS 6548 2192) and a second one, at NS 673 212, connected by a tramway with an overhead ropeway leading down the valley to the dressing plant.
Visited by RCAHMS (DCC) March 1992
Reference (2008)
(Location cited as NS657 221) Gas Water Barytes Mines: Small mines with main workings sealed.
Grampian Speleological Group 2008.
