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Corseford No.1 Pit

Howwood, West Corseford Farm, Renfrewshire.

Limestone & coal mine.

Part of the former Corseford Coal and Limeworks (site now occupied by West Corseford Farm), shown as being active with limekilns on the 1st Ed. OS map. Limestone working at Corseford consisted of quarrying, and then mining until almost all the limestone was worked-out. The mine abandonment plan was submitted in 1886.

No.1 Pit is the middle of three closely-spaced pits at this locality, where the more southerly shaft (at NS 4059 6092) is at least 40 fms [73 m] deep due to the Hurlet Lst being noted at this depth on the geol. survey. The shafts / works are located in the centre of a large syncline.

Approx 500m to the east, limestone was also formerly extracted on a large scale at the now-flooded Meikle Corseford quarry (NS 411 608). The site of an old coal pit is also here, and the rapid sinking of floodwaters from the Swinlees Burn that was diverted into the quarry suggests the presence of extensive mine workings.

In Pit No.1, the Hurlet [Limestone] was encountered at a depth of 30 fms (55m).

Alternative Names: None recorded.

Notes: "The working of lime at Corseford on a large scale commenced in 1776, when a partnership was formed between McDowall and the adjacent estate owner, George Houston of Johnstone. Such partnerships were the key to early industrial enterprises in Renfrewshire. George Houston had previous experience of lime quarrying. A plan of his adjacent estate in 1733 shows several lime quarries. Houston was to have the technical and managerial input at Corseford and was "empowered to engage men and erect engines and provide tools necessary for the works"...

... The limestone worked here is the "Hurlet" limestone named after its occurrence at Hurlet, north of Barrhead. The Hurlet limestone has two coal seams conveniently below it, which were worked to fuel the kilns. The value of limestone in the 18th century is illustrated by the fact that the coal was very much secondary to the limestone. This is evident in the original 18th century deeds, where it states that "none of the coal in the said ground shall be sold, but used utterly for burning the limestone". " [Nisbet, S.]

Coordinates based on OS georef' tool for Pit No.1 as marked on geol. survey map. Depth is based on 30 fathoms minimum.

Hydrographic Feeds: Swinelees Burn

Hydrographic Resurgences: Midtown Quarries