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Bellsgrove Mine (Engine Shaft)

Strontian, Sunart, Argyllshire.

Mine (Lead, Baryte), 19th & 20th cent.

Site of main shaft for the Bellsgrove Mine, initially sunk during the 1840s to extend the Grand Level (which extended W to the Middleshop Mines), and later deepened. The Strontian Main Vein was largely stoped-out on the E side of this shaft, & the western part of the Bellsgrove workings were quarried out as part of Clashgorm Quarry. See mine plans in refs for x-sections (AP15359.5 & APR287.4).

"The Bellsgrove workings are the most easterly, and also the most extensive of the three. All the workings are on the Main Vein, which here varies in width from 8 to 30 ft., hades to the south, has gneiss on the foot-wall and granite on the hanging-wall, and consists essentially of calcite and barytes, with a little galena, together with harma,- tome and brewsterite. At one point the vein is cut by a large basalt dyke, 19 ft. wide, which runs in a north-and-south direction, and has in no way affected the vein. East of this dyke the vein consists principally of barytes, with a little interspersed galena." [BGS Earthwise]

"The western, or Clashgorm, section has been extensively stoped out to the surface, and all the payable ground above the Grand Level worked out... In 1901 Mr Robertson of Glasgow put up £14,000 to attempt to re-open the mines, Middleshop Adit and The Grand Level were cleared, and the Engine Shaft was also cleared to a depth of 60 fathoms, with Mr Robertson's son in charge, alas in 1904 funds ran out without any ore being brought to the surface... The Bellsgrove Engine Shaft which is still in fair condition, was sunk by The York Buildings Company to 60 feet below the Grand Level, and a further 120 feet by Captain John Barratt's Company, giving a total depth from the surface of 355 feet. Nearly all the payable ground in this mine has been stoped out, and Captain John Barratt reported in 1852 that although large quantities of ore had been removed it was of very poor quality, and on extending the Grand Level no ore was met with... The vein at the bottom of the engine shaft and in Clashgorm is remarkable for producing beautifully crystallized specimens of Harmotome (Hydrous silicate of alumina, baryta and potash) also calcite in crystals of very varied and unusual habit." [Landless, 1975]

Alternative Names: Bellsgrove Engine Shaft, Bellsgrove Shaft, Bellsgrove Mine, Belles Grove Mine, Bellsgrove Lead Mine

Notes: Given coordinates (approx to 8 fig NGR) are based upon shaft depicted on the OS 10k map of 1973. Mine plan SP1056 clearly indicates that the Bellsgrove Engine Shaft was situated E of the access track, at the W end of the Bellsgrove opencast workings. Plans SP1056 & AP15359.5 show that Bellsgrove Engine Shaft & Bellsgrove Shaft are synonymous names.

Fee Donald Mine to the east [site #750] is incorrectly marked on some maps (incl. OS) as Bellsgrove Mine.

The Bellsgrove opencast workings were filled in with spoil produced during working of the neighbouring Middleshop Quarry. The 1975 description provided by J. Landless is based on observations made prior to redevelopment of the site during the 1980s for supplying barite to the North Sea oil industry (used for weighted drilling mud).

For info regarding the Grand Level, see also: Middleshop Lead Mine (Grand Level) [site #1091]

Hydrographic Feeds: None

Hydrographic Resurgences: None