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Rankinston No.1 Pit

Rankinston, NE of Patna, Ayrshire.

Mine (ironstone & coal), 19th-20th Centuries.

Complex passage layout with branching passages (as opposed to room and pillar), illustrated on abandonment plan (see refs). Pits No.1 & No.2 were upcast and downcast primarily for the ironstone workings, respectively. The majority of the face workings excavating a 2ft-thick blackband occurred due south of Rankinston House, linked to the shafts at No.1 (given coordinates) and No.2 at NS 4529 1269. The distance between the mine's E and W extremities is c.1.2km, but the combined passage length will be significantly more. An accident report from 1890 indicates that the mine was functional by this time, prior to abandonment in 1913.

Presumably blocked adits are marked on the MRA map (in addition to the shafts), which on the geological map are associated with a drift coal mine at NS 4534 1251, and an old level at NS 4576 1277 (within woodland). The pit sites appear to be buried below derelict ground with evidence of spoil mounds.

The No.3 pit also had ironstone workings separate to those from No.1 & 2 pits, but was primarily used for extracting coal.

Alternative Names: Rankinston Colliery

Notes: Owners: Merry and Cunninghame, Glengarnock Iron and Steel Co.

No.1 shaft labelled "DL.I. at 101 fms" [Dalmellington Blackband Ironstone at 185m] on geol' survey map, whilst No.2 Pit is 110 fms [201m]. Rankinston Pit (No.1, ironstone), Rankinston Pit (No.2, ironstone) , Rankinston Pit (No.3, coal) shown on 1896 OS map.

Given 8 fig. coordinates derived from OS georef' tool (using geol' survey map).