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Drumclair

Colliery(S) (19th Century), Engine Shed (19th Century) - (20th Century), Miners Row (19th Century)

Site Name Drumclair

Classification Colliery(S) (19th Century), Engine Shed (19th Century) - (20th Century), Miners Row (19th Century)

Canmore ID 84113

Site Number NS87SE 21.03

NGR NS 8671 7164

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/84113

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
Canmore Disclaimer. © Copyright and database right 2024.

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Digital Images

Administrative Areas

  • Council Falkirk
  • Parish Slamannan
  • Former Region Central
  • Former District Falkirk
  • Former County Stirlingshire

Activities

Field Visit (29 July 1992)

NS87SE 21.03 8671 7164

This group of coal mines was disposed along the course of a tramway which ran southwards for about 1.2km from the Slamannan Railway (NS87SE 13) at NS 866 727 to Drumclair Row (NS 8671 7164; CSW 4456). Four pits are depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Stirlingshire 1864, sheet xxxv): one immediately N of Drumclair Row (NS 8670 7170, CSW 4455), a second pit about 450m to the SE (NS 8699 7141, CSW 4485) and two disused pits to the E of the tramway (NS 8699 7196, CSW 4453; NS 8688 7185, CSW 4454). Drumclair Row is depicted as three terraces of cottages, two of which are depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 25-inch map (Stirlingshire 1864, sheet xxxv.7) as 'back-to-back' rows, one having ten houses, the second twelve. The third row, located to the NW of the others and SW of the coal pit, is shown on that map as having six compartments and various outshots, but it is unclear whether it was a row of houses or of offices.

By date of the 2nd edition of the OS 6-inch map (Stirlingshire 1899, sheet xxxv) the tramway had been replaced by a mineral railway which by-passed the rows and ran S to Limerigg Colliery Pit No.1 (NS87SE 43). The three terraces were still roofed, but the pit next to them, and that to the SE, had both been abandoned (CSW 4455 and 4485). One pit (CSW 4453) appears to have been reopened and closed once again, as its spoil tip had grown considerably since the 1st edition map (ibid), and a spoil tip to the NW of that (NS 8692 7210, CSW 4447) suggests that another mine had operated there. One final feature depicted on the 2nd edition map (ibid) was an engine shed on the W side of the railway about 350m to the S of its junction with the Slamannan line (NS 8683 7241, CSW 4449). By 1914, when the OS 6-inch map was next revised (Stirlingshire 1922, sheet xxxv) all of these mines had been abandoned, Drumclair Row was roofless and the rails had all been lifted. There has been some mining activity more recently: The 1967 edition of the OS 1:10560 map shows a mine, apparently working, to the E of (CSW 4447), at NS 8704 7211. This has now been abandoned, although the bing remains.

Of the 19th century mines, only the bings survive, except at NS 8699 7141 (CSW 4485) (the mine to the SE of Drumclair Row) of which nothing remains apart from the NW end of its tramway. This is perpendicular to, and raised well above the Drumclair tramway, showing that coal would have been loaded by means of an overhead gantry. Only the easternmost of the terraces at Drumclair Row could be found, and the remains were much overgrown, while the only evidence found of the engine shed was a rectangular ash pit 6.5m in length, 2m in width and 0.7m deep: this could have been either for emptying fireboxes, or for inspecting the undercarriage of the engines.

(CSW 4447, 4449, 4453-6, 4485)

Visited by RCAHMS (SDB, PJD) 29 July 1992

Publication Account (2009)

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

Introduction: From farm to mines

The old parish of Slamannan was once a quiet farming community, but in the 19th century coal mining transformed it for a short time into an industrial centre. Today, Limerigg Wood stands where once there were farms and coal mines.

The Old Statistical Accounts (1791) provide a tale about the origin of the parish name "Slamannan". It is said that it came from a farm labourer who told the Earl of Callander and Linlithgow that ploughing his land would "slay man and mare". Although simply a folk tale, it suggests this area was not good land for farming.

However, General Roy's Military Survey Map (1747-1755) shows that there were farms in this area by the mid 18th century. Today in Limerigg Forest, the archaeological remains of two farmsteads, Drumclair and Blackrigg, still survive. You can discover more about this in our "Evidence" story.

Ordnance Survey maps illustrate that both farms grew over the 19th century, suggesting that their owners invested in the land by encouraging agricultural improvements to their farms. In 1864, an absentee landlord, Henry Taylor, owned Drumclair farmstead. The other farmstead, Blackrigg,was the property of an important local family, the Waddells of Balquhastone.

At the same time, coal mining operations began in this area, discover more in our "People" story.

People Story: A dangerous job

In 1840, the completion of the Slamannan Railway opened the parish's rich coalfield to commercial mining. The industry brought in workers and the community grew and prospered but it was often a difficult and dangerous job.

In 1869, John Watson opened Balquhatson Colliery, near Blackrigg farm and John Nimmo of Slamannan opened Limerigg Colliery, near Drumclair.

John Nimmo was the first of a coal mining dynasty in Slamannan; his company ended up owning many of the collieries in the area, including the Balquhatson mines.

The parish town of Slamannan grew, as well as Limerigg itself. Mining records show that John Nimmo rented housing in Limerigg to his staff.

However, working in the mines was not an easy way to make money. There were many accidents].

On the 5th December 1882, The Scotsman reported one such terrible accident;

[i]"A miner named Thomas Heaps, 23 years of age, belonging to the Limerigg Colliery Co, met with a shocking death. Deceased was engaged about the shaft-mouth when he slipped and fell down the shaft, a distance of 50 fathom."[/i]

At its peak, at the end of the 19th century, Balquhatson employed 253 people and Limerigg Colliery employed 172. The mining industry in Slamannan went into decline in the early 20th century. century.

Evidence Story: Examining the evidence: building recording

In 2009, Rathmell Archaeology undertook an archaeological survey of two farmsteads in Limerigg Forest. This informed Forestry Commission Scotland's interpretation and future conservation of the buildings.

The survey identified both buildings as 19th century, suggesting they were rebuilt because map evidence dates the farms as older.

The survey produced plans for each farmstead. At Blackrigg, the remains do not survive to a significant height but the survey identified the layout of the farmstead, including a round feature thought to be a horse-gang. This horse-powered drive mechanism usually powered a mill or threshing machine for crops.

However, the 1864 Ordnance Survey map labelled a similar feature nearby as a 'Churning Machine', presumably used in the production of butter or cheese. Dairy farming was a major source of income in the parish, so it may be that the horse gang at Blackrigg is also a churning machine.

At Drumclair, the survey also produced elevation drawings of the upstanding walls. Close examination of a building can identify and date changes made over the life of a building. For example, the survey identified that the barn was once larger than it stands today

Evidence for mining was also found, including large slag heaps (waste from the mining process), and traces of the old mineral railways, which transported coal from pits to the collieries.

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