Description

The monument comprises the remains of an extensive area of lead mining and workings located on the hillsides around the village of Leadhills. The village is at the approximate centre of the very extensive mining remains and sits at around 390m above sea level. The mines and associated remains are mainly located on the west and east facing sides of the north-south running valley and reach from the valley floor up to around 500m above sea level.

The visible remains of the lead mines at Leadhills are extensive and date mostly from the mid/late 18th century and 19th century, with remains from a final period of operation between 1917-28 before closure in 1929. In the hills around Leadhills there are extensive remains of mines of different types, including many shafts and also hushings - where directed flows of water were used to reveal veins of lead near to the surface.  Particularly concentrated areas of mining remains include: 


Water Head, around 2km north of Leadhills village. Here there are the remains of mines, washings and the structural remains of the dressing plant from 1864. There are also the remains of a smelt mill with a rare condensing flue system zig-zagging up the hillside from the mill. This was designed to increase efficiency by capturing ores otherwise lost during the smelting process.  
The east facing hillside, immediately northwest, west and southwest of Leadhills village has a concentration of mines and related workings. To the northwest, Lady Manner's Scar is a particularly substantial area of mining activity with some of the largest spoil heaps in the Leadhills area. The slopes west of the village contain remains of further mines and related spoil with a series of well-formed sunken tracks leading across the hillside connecting the areas of extraction. 
 Around 1km southwest of the village is a large area with a high concentration of mines and shafts with related spoil heaps. 
 On the west facing side of the valley, around 1-1.5km south and southeast of Leadhills village, lies the extensive workings of Glengonnar and Wilson's shafts. These were two of the deepest shafts in the area and also the last to be worked with mining activity continuing into the 1920s. The remain of various buildings survive in the vicinity of these shafts. 
 Immediately northeast of Glengonnar Shaft is the remains of the Leadhills and Wanlockhead Light Railway from Elvanfoot to Leadhills and this includes a section of disused railway tunnel. 
Around 750m southeast and east of the Glengonnar and Wilson shafts, on the higher ground, there are further mining remains in the form of shafts and open castings plus substantial reservoirs. 
At the southeastern-most part of the site, is Leadhills Reservoir. Built in the 1860s, it is over 500m in length and was key for the mining operations by providing a reliable source of water throughout the year. 


The scheduled area is in three sections, each irregular. It includes the remains described above and an area around within which evidence relating to the monument's construction, use and abandonment is expected to survive, as shown in red on the accompanying map. The schedule specifically excludes all; signage, gates, fences and fenceposts, pylons/telecommunications /telegraph poles, sheep pens, grouse butts, vermin traps, grit posts and trays and the upper 30cm of any surfaced tracks. Also excluded is the permanent way (but not the cuttings, earthworks and associated structures) of the Leadhills and Wanlockhead Light Railway.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     


 


 

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The national importance of the monument is demonstrated in the following way(s) (see Designations Policy and Selection Guidance, Annex 1, para 17):

a.   The monument is of national importance because it makes a significant contribution to our understanding or appreciation of the industrial heritage of Scotland, in particular the history of 18th and 19th century lead mining. Lead mining was a significant industry to Scotland in the pre-industrial and early industrial revolution periods. Together with Wanlockhead (scheduled monument SM5597), Leadhills was the centre of Scotland's lead industry.

b.   The monument retains structural, architectural, decorative or other physical attributes which make a significant contribution to our understanding or appreciation of the past. The surviving elements help us understand the functions and processes of a major lead mining area operating in 18th and 19th century Scotland.

c.   The monument is a rare example of an extensive, early industrial lead mining area with upstanding remains covering many of the contemporary mining functions.

d.   The monument is a good example of an early large scale industrial practice that had a key role in local, regional, national and international economic trade in 18th and 19th century Scotland and is therefore an important representative of this monument type.

e.   The monument has research potential which could significantly contribute to our understanding or appreciation of the past. The remains reflect the development and peak of the Scottish lead mining industry. The associated miners' cottages and documentary sources provided further potential to study the socio-economic history of lead mining.

f.   The monument makes a significant contribution to today's landscape and/or our understanding of the historic landscape by serving as a physical reminder of the importance of lead mining in 18th and 19th century Scotland and its role in society and the economy.

g.  The monument has significant associations with historical, traditional, social or artistic figures, events or movements. Together with nearby Wanlockhead, Leadhills was the most important lead mining area in Scotland, taking its name from the metal mined in it hills. Leadhills has the most important deposits of lead in the country, with a relatively high amount of gold and other minerals also present which increased the historic economic value of the mines. Leadhills had a clear national standing among contemporary lead mines.

Assessment of Cultural Significance

This statement of national importance has been informed by the following assessment of cultural significance:

Intrinsic characteristics (how the remains of a site or place contribute to our knowledge of the past)

Lead was mined in the Leadhills area as early as 1239 by the monks of Newbattle Abbey. Lead mining activity was likely sporadic until the mid-16th century when Thomas Foulis, a goldsmith based in Edinburgh, began commercial scale mining. In 1592, Foulis purchased the land at Leadhills and in 1637 his granddaughter Anna became the sole heiress of the mines. Following Anna's marriage into the Hope family in 1638, the mines eventually passed to the Hopes. Leadhills then became known as 'Hopetoun' before the name was transferred to the country house at South Queensferry in 1699. Anna's husband, Sir James Hope of Hopetoun became highly experienced and skilled in mining and mineralogy, and was appointed as Master of the Mint (General of the Cunzie-house) in 1641. In 1661 a grant of the mines to Sir James Hope was confirmed by an Act of Parliament. Many of the mines and parcels of land around Leadhills were leased to multiple companies, the most successful was the Scots Mining Company. From 1734, the Company reorganised the operation of the mines and made them highly profitable.

The majority of the mining remains visible around Leadhills date from the 18th to early 20th centuries. During the 18th century around 40 lead veins were exploited with the highest yielding being the Susanna Vein. At the time, the mines were the largest and most technologically advanced in Scotland and arguably in the whole of the British Isles. Leadhills is world famous for rare mineral species including Leadhillite, Caledonite, Lanarkite and Susannite, the latter first discovered in the Susanna Mine.

The fortunes of the mines started to decline from around 1830. Prolonged litigation between the Scots Mining Company and the Leadhills Mining Company over water rights to drive the hydraulic machinery forced the Scots Mining Company to end its lease and the Leadhills Mining Company running the entire site in 1861. Renewed investment took place at Leadhills to drive growth including the further development of the water infrastructure, through the construction of reservoirs and piping, to improve reliability of supply to the mining activities. However, by the 1920s, only Brow and Brown's veins were being worked from Glengonnar and Wilson's shafts. For a brief spell in 1917, Lady Anne Hopetoun Shaft was reopened and worked. Later, the Wembly Shaft was sunk in 1925-28 on Mill Vein and a crosscut, 450 feet below ground, was driven to explore further veins. In 1929, the Leadhill mines were closed, primarily due to a lack of economically viable recoverable reserves of lead exacerbated by the low cost of lead internationally.

The visible remains of Leadhills lead mines are extensive and provide physical evidence of almost all the processes found at an industrial scale 18th/19th century lead mining site. From the multiple dozens of mines and shafts where ore was extracted, to the many adits driven into the hill for mine access and drainage, to the reservoirs and lades required to collect and funnel water to power machinery, to the tracks and railway remains for transporting goods, materials and workers across the site, to structural remains of smelting mills and other processing buildings – every aspect of mining can be traced and attested at Leadhills.

Other mining remains visible at Leadhills include those known as hushings. This is where a series of pits were cut into the hillside and water diverted into them to expose veins of metal baring ore. Some of the reservoirs and lades in the area relate to this activity. The hushings typically survive in the landscape as large V-shaped gouges in the hillsides. There are also the tracks for access and lades for water supply which, although less visible on the ground due to vegetation cover and soil creep, are clearly visible on Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging, a remote sensing method).

Many of the mine shafts were of such scale that the related spoil heaps are very extensive and can be clearly seen on the hillside today. The area of Lady Manner's Scar has been very significantly altered by ore extraction and is permanent reminder of the industry. The scale of Leadhills Reservoir, built in the 1860s, demonstrates the importance of water for powering machinery and in the washing processes. It is also an indication of the investment that was going into the mining operations at this time. Other dams were constructed, such as at Horner's Dam above Glengonnar and Wilson's shafts, to increase water supply for mining operations.

The above ground remains of structures related to lead mining can be found across the site. The construction materials are varied and include brick, rubble, dressed stone and concrete with some buildings utilising all these materials. Some of the most notable upstanding structures are processing plants around Glengonnar and the smelting works at Water Head.

The Glengonnar section of the site has the greatest concentration of structures with various buildings surviving, some as bases, others as upstanding structures. These include a processing and sorting plant with a distinctive arched support over the line of the railway that ran alongside it. The building, constructed from rubble and cement mortar, has a row of openings along the base where processed material was filtered down from above and could be collected into containers on the rails below that would then be transported across the site. The railway running through the Glengonnar shaft area was a vital aspect of the transportation infrastructure at Leadhills. The railway tunnel to the northeast of Glengonnar is an unusual feature and well preserved.

Water Head smelt works, located at the north of the site, also has the remains of a condensing flue system zigzagging up the hillside. Elements of the flue tower survive, now in a collapsed state, and include finely dressed sandstone copes and string courses that would have provided a decorative element to this industrial structure. This is a rare survivor of a technological innovation to increase efficiency and overall output in the smelting process.

The physical remains at Leadhills represent the array of mining activities and processes that you would find within a lead mining landscape - almost all the functions and activities typically expected at lead mines are identifiable and represented. It is very rare to have such a complete suite of functions so well preserved from a massive scale, commercial venture in lead mining starting in at least the mid-18th century. There is also evidence for trial pits and shafts and open-cast mines which is an indication of earlier mining at the site. This also provides physical evidence for the exploratory phase in lead mining – prospective mine owners would need to establish how much lead could be reasonably expected to be extracted from the bedrock and locate the most lucrative veins of ore.

The relatively late end to production at Leadhills (1929) and later land use has contributed to the excellent preservation and survival of the site; its plan form can still be clearly interpreted and its vast scale, unparalleled in Scotland, fully appreciated. The degree to which Leadhills survives is a significant aspect of its cultural significance. Study of the remains of the lead mines can help provide understanding for the design, processes and functions of such large-scale industrial sites that were key to local, regional, national and even international trading economies.

Contextual characteristics (how a site or place relates to its surroundings and/or to our existing knowledge of the past)

The prospection for and extraction of lead at Leadhills may date to before the 18th century. It is not known when the first mines were opened in the area or by whom. It is often thought that the Romans were likely the first to mine in the area with camps in both Clydesdale and Nithsdale. However, there are no physical remains or evidence for Roman mining at Leadhills. Between 2003-4, archaeological excavations at the Iron Age promontory fort of Carghidown (Canmore ID 63132), near Wigtown, yielded a find of three lead beads. The beads were subsequently radiocarbon dated to between 360BC and 60AD, this is before Roman presence in the area. Tests of the metallurgical signature (the makeup of, types and subsequent sources of metals within) of the beads were also undertaken and compared against control samples from known sources - the most likely source of the lead was deemed to be Leadhills.

There is evidence that lead mining took place on the hills around Leadhills by the monks of Newbattle Abbey in the early 13th century, and is believed to have been centred at Glengonnar (Brown, 1927). Charters from the period of King Alexander II (1214-1249) also confirm that lead mining took place around Leadhills (Chalmers, 1887). There was a demand for lead in the medieval period for roofing and plumbing of major buildings such as churches and castles and for use as an alloy in producing pewter ware. Lead was often mined and found with other related precious metals such as silver and gold. It is notable that one of the first recorded commercial operations at Leadhills was run by a goldsmith from Edinburgh in 1592 – an indication of a relatively high proportion of precious metals in the ore of the area. Shortly prior to this, in 1542, gold from Crawford Muir (the area now known as Leadhills) was used to make new crowns for the Scottish King and Queen. Records show 35 ounces of gold was used for the Queen's and 41 ounces of gold for the King's. The nearby historic gold workings related to this period of activity are also recognised and protected as a scheduled monument (scheduled monument SM13677).

The natural landscape of the area has been significantly changed by the centuries of mining activity in the area but another example of the lasting impact Leadhills mines has had on the area is shown by the village of Leadhills. Around 1735, a mansion named the Scots Mining Company House (Listed Building LB732) was built for its owner, James Stirling, the house and surrounding garden landscape was designed by William Adam (gardens and designed landscape GDL339). Stirling encouraged the miners of his firm to establish the Leadhills Miners' Library (, Listed Building LB50593) in 1741, which was the first circulating and working-class library in Britain. When Stirling died in 1770 the Scots Mining Company erected the Curfew Bell (Listed Building LB50882) in the village of Leadhills. The bell was rung to alert miners of shift changes and to call children to school. The bell also served as an alert when accidents happened in the mines. The village grew due to the success of the mines. In 1772, Leadhills had a population of about 1500. In 1878, there were 253 houses, most of which were built by the miners. The miners' houses were originally thatched with heather until between 1861 and 1878 when 220 were rebuilt and the thatched roofing was replaced with slate tiles. By the 1870s, around 394 acres of unimproved hillside was reclaimed by the miners and used to grow crops of hay and potatoes and over 100 cows were kept and milked. In 1989, the village of Leadhills was designated as a conservation area in recognition of its special architectural and/or historic interest.

Leadhills is the location of the most significant lead deposits in Scotland, with high concentrations of lead ore and relatively high amounts of precious metals, particularly gold. Not all the mines were operational at once, their production periods were affected by land leases and supply-demand issues. However, many of the mines had some operational overlap and were eventually run by a single company.

Within a wider context, Leadhills was regarded as the key lead mining location in Scotland. Leadhills had the most abundant and productive supply of lead in Scotland. The mines at nearby Wanlockhead (scheduled monument SM5597) are on a slightly lesser scale but have the same type of remains, suite of functions and processes represented. Leadhills and Wanlockhead were often referred to as almost conjoined sites due to their close proximity but they had different owners, were independently operated and developed their own villages and identity. Leadhills was the main lead mine in Scotland and among the last to be worked on a commercial scale and therefore an important site that represents the industrial past of a major and important lead mining region. The lead mines on Islay were second to the Leadhills/Wanlockhead area, in terms of scale and production of lead during the 18th and 19th century. The largest and last to operate lead mine on Islay was Mulreesh (scheduled monument SM13753) and would have also formed an important part of the supply chain with it being shipped nationally and internationally. Other important lead mines were located in Dumfriesshire.

Associative characteristics (how a site or place relates to people, events, and/or historic and social movements)

The Hope Family  have close connections to Leadhills. Following the marriage of Sir James Hope (1614-1661) to Anne Foulis in 1638, the mines passed to the Hopes and the village became known as 'Hopetoun' before the name was transferred to the country house and estate at South Queensferry in 1699. Mining activities at Leadhills quickly became the Hopes' (who obtained the earldom of Hopetoun in 1703) primary source of income and enabled them to build Hopetoun House, one of the country's most significant country houses, at the turn of the eighteenth century and aggrandised it for decades thereafter (begun by William Bruce in 1696 and developed by William Adam around 30 years later).

The mining landscape at Leadhills along with the village of Leadhills is significant for our understanding of socio-economic context of lead mining. The village would have been the homes of families where the men, and even some women and children, worked the mines. Each miner belonged to a work-gang of up to 12, known as a "partnership" and they negotiated their own pay with the mine company; rates were individually agreed annually for lengths of shafts dug and weight of lead extracted. The workers were essentially self-employed and in charge of their own time and work organisation. The miners were typically paid annually and often managed between pays by taking company credit. The partners even supplied their own tools. Therefore, the partners took on many responsibilities and records show only two company employees were required manage over 200 miners at Leadhills.  Historical records, associated with the physical remains of the industry, can help us understand the way of life for miners in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The place of Leadhills within the wider industrial development or industrial revolution of rural Scotland is important. As the main and most productive lead mine in Scotland it represents the movement of economy from subsistence farming to industrial exploitation of resources. Therefore, it can help contribute to our understanding of the industrial revolution in 18th and 19th century Scotland.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

Historic Environment Scotland http://www.canmore.org.uk reference number CANMORE ID 46412 (accessed on 21/02/2024).

Brown and Williams, E M and J. (1979). 'A Leadhills diary for 1745', in Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquary Society, 3rd, vol. 54, 1979. Pages: 85-9.

Brown, R. (1927). 'More about the mines and minerals of Wanlockhead and Leadhills', in Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquary Society, 3rd, vol. 13, 1925-6. Pages: 58-79.

Harvey, W S. (1993). 'Controversy and contraction: the water dispute at the Leadhills mines', in British Mining, vol. 48, 1993.

Harvey, W S. (2006). Lead and Labour: The Story of the Miners of Leadhills and Wanlockhead. Unpublished but accessible online: https://web.archive.org/web/20061017210920/http:/www.gsk58.dial.pipex.com/leadandlabour/index.shtml (accessed on 21/02/2024).

Hay and Stell, G D and G P. (1986). Monuments of Industry. Edinburgh.

Hume, J R. (1976). The Industrial Archaeology of Scotland, vol 1, Lowlands and Borders. London.

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https://leadhillsestate.co.uk/history-of-leadhills/ (accessed on 21/02/2024)

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https://www.leadhillslibrary.co.uk/lead-mining/leadhills-mining-history/ (accessed on 21/02/2024)

New Statistical Account. (1834-1845). The new statistical account of Scotland by the ministers of the respective parishes under the superintendence of a committee of the society for the benefit of the sons and daughters of the clergy, 15v. Edinburgh. Pages: Vol.6, 335-37.

Prevost, W A J. (1979). 'Lord Hopetoun's mine at Leadhills: illustrated by David Allan and Paul Sandby', in Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquary Society, 3rd, vol. 54, 1979. Pages: 85-9.

Smout, T C. (1962). 'The lead mines at Wanlockhead', in Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquary Society, 3rd, vol. 39, 1960-1. Pages: 144-58.

Toolis, R., Duffy, A., Engl, R., Evans, J., Fouracre, L., Horstwood, M. S., Hunter, F., Inglis, R., Pashley, V., Poller, T., & Blair, A. (2008). 'Intermittent occupation and forced abandonment: excavation of an Iron Age promontory fort at Carghidown, Dumfries and Galloway', in Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, vol 137, pages: 265-317.

Canmore

https://canmore.org.uk/site/46412/
https://canmore.org.uk/site/258091/

Source: Historic Environment Scotland