Accessibility

Font Size

100% 150% 200%

Background Colour

Default Contrast
Close Reset

Strontian, Lead Mines

Lead Mine(S) (Period Unassigned)

Site Name Strontian, Lead Mines

Classification Lead Mine(S) (Period Unassigned)

Canmore ID 23120

Site Number NM86NW 3

NGR NM 83 65

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/23120

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

Toggle Aerial | View on large map

Digital Images

Administrative Areas

  • Council Highland
  • Parish Ardnamurchan
  • Former Region Highland
  • Former District Lochaber
  • Former County Argyll

Archaeology Notes

NM86NW 3.00 83 65

Not to be confused with NM86NE 1 and NM86NW 4.

NM86NW 3.01 NM 832 658 Lead Mine

NM86NW 3.02 NM 830 653 Lead Mine

(Location cited as NM 83 66). Lead mines, Strontian, 17th century and later. An interesting group of mines with a series of shafts along the vein. There are remains of rubble buildings at various points.

J R Hume 1977

1992 application for planning permission affects area around NM 830 650.

Information from D M Low, Highland Regional Council, 30 October 1992

Six roofed, three unroofed buildings and four enclosures are depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Argyllshire 1875, sheet xviii). Three roofed and five unroofed buildings are shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1973).

Information from RCAHMS (SAH) 30 April 1998

Extract from a Plan of Loch Sunart of 1733. A narrative of the mines of Strontian. 'The Barony of Ardnamurchan and Sunart, the priveliged bounds of the York Buildings Company for raising mines and minerals is the property of Sir Alex Murray of Stanhope who first discovered the lead mines of Stontian. They lie WNW and ESE, at three miles gradual ascent, N from Strontian at the head of Loch Sunart and are ranked among the richest of their kind in Europe. And he let them in lease to the late Duke of Norfolk and Company for the term of years reserving to himself in whole for his own share one sixth part of all the ore that should be raised free of all charges above ground. The said Company sometime afterwards made over their lease of the said mines to the York Buildings Company for a valuable Confederation, who accordingly are the present possessors of the same.

As the first Company found the best and greatest quantity of ore nearest the surface, they therefore wrought the mines in open cast, whence they are called grooves, they also erected several necessary buildings at Strontian, such as a smelting mill with four common hearths. A bridge upon oaken piles cross the river, a handsome house for their manager, clerks, and office, besides others for their workmen, stores etc. As they were the first planters, so they met with the greatest difficulties. The York Buildings Company carried on their works in a more regular manner by sinking of shafts and sumps, and driving of drifts, whereby they found the benefit; and the deeper they go, they come into better ore: in some places the vein is three and a half yards wide, all spangled ore, interspersed with a kindly spar, and in other places it is 38 inches of solid ore bedded in a stiff loam, the deepest and richest that has been raised. And by the report of the workmen and the symptoms of the ground, the deeper they go, its to be hoped the vein will prove the richer in ore. The York Buildings Company have besides enlarged the whole work, by augmenting the number of their clerks, overseers, smelters, artficiers, miners and labourers and their several buildings proportionally. Namely four air furnaces, an almond furnace and an Essay furnace. A smelting mill with two common hearths, a flag hearth, a spacious storehouse, quay and cooperage; a furnished house for their Governor or any of the Court of assistants, another for their manager, a well furnished dispensary.

Several lodging houses for workmen in Strontian, besides another set of buildings for them at New York (near Anaheilt, NM c.815 625), which were more contiguous to the grooves, a brew house, malt barns and kiln, stables, workhouses, peat barns and timber and coalyards; and several biggings (farmsteads) upon the grooves for smiths, carpenters etc from whence they have made the roads for leading the ore to the smelting mills and furnaces at a great labour and expense; besides levelled and paved or laid with gravel, all the passages and streets in Strontian, whereby it is become wholesome and pleasant that they have also performed their part to the highways: from all which arise the following advantages to the Kingdom all taken out of the bowels of the earth'.

Information from RCAHMS, extracted from a Plan of Sunart, 1733, surveyed by Alexander Bruce, March 2001

References

MyCanmore Image Contributions


Contribute an Image

MyCanmore Text Contributions