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New Glencrieff Mine (West Glencrieff Pit)

Glenglass, Wanlockhead, Dumfriesshire.

Mine (Lead & Zinc), 18th to early 20th c.

A complex series of levels following the 'West Branch' of the New Glencrieff Vein at various elevations (lowest being the '280 Fms Level') linked by multiple shafts, much probably (re)flooded. The fenced-off 'West Glencrieff Shaft' at given coordinates is now concrete-capped, located amongst ruined mine buildings surrounded by spoil, & near a large stratified bing. The OS map of 1899 shows three closely-spaced shafts around this locality. The Winding Pit here was steeply inclined towards the N & accessed the majority of levels below. The uppermost workings were mined prior to 1842, & lowermost workings driven during the early 20th c. (see Mine Plan SP1852).

One of the uppermost levels is the Glenglass Adit (a branch of the 'Adit Level') that opened out at surface close to Meadowfoot [site #10078] & was temporarily opened in recent years as part of The Glenglass Project. A separate, extensive crosscut tunnel extended SW through a spur of Green Hill (between Glenglass & the Shieling Burn) from the No.7 Level, off of which short passages (probably trials) were driven through subordinate seams such as the Geneva & Baxter's Veins.

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"The mine shaft and works are situated just below the village of Wanlockhead and at an elevation of 1195 feet. The shaft is sunk on the west branch, or West Grove Vein. It has been continued downwards for a distance of 240 fms. on the slope of the vein, and is connected with the main or New Glencrieff Vein by levels and cross-cuts. The New Glencrieff Vein appears to have been discovered between 1710 and 1721, and soon afterwards a fair quantity of ore was raised from it, but not sufficient to pay expenses. During the driving of the Glenglass adit-level about 1740, the west branch of the vein was discovered. It proved to be very rich and a large quantity of ore was raised. The mine was worked extensively till about 1770 when it was abandoned as unprofitable. It remained in this condition for over seventy years, but was opened up again by Mr. J. Stewart between 1842 and 1850, and the shoot of ore cut at the south end of the New Glencrieff Vein has proved one of the richest in Scotland, and is still being wrought.

The mine has now been sunk to a depth of 1320 feet, and the bottom of the shaft is about 140 ft. below sea-level. The water is pumped in two stages, from the bottom to the 160-fm. level, and from there to adit-level, which crosses the shaft at about 90 ft. from the surface... The mine is worked by overhand and underhand stoping, and a good deal of the material is handpicked underground... The galena is smelted at a plant which is situated about one mile further down the valley, and consists of two roasting furnaces, five Scotch hearths, and one slag hearth. Both silver and fume lead are produced, but the desilverising " Pattison " process has been abandoned since 1910" [Wilson, 1921]

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"New Glencrieff Mine: The origins of this Mine lie back in the early 18th century with the first recorded working on the vein giving the Mine its name in 1718. Through its history, 7 companies have operated the Mine, improving the operations and installing new technology. The driving of the Glenglass adit around 1740 revealed a very rich source of ore, which was raised until 1770. A shaft sunk on the West Grove vein is to a depth of 240 fathoms [439m] on the slope of the vein.

In 1755, a new company, with Mr Ronald Crawford at its head, took control of the Mine. Their first lease was only for 19 years but they afterwards obtained a new lease to expire in 1842. The new company were enterprising and very successful, they discovered new rich veins, and when workable ore could no longer be found, they erected a series of steam engines, some on the surface, and some underground, to drain off water from their boring's beneath level. So successful were the operations that during 50 years 47,420 tons of Lead was raised.

From 1842, the Duke of Buccleuch retained the Mine under his management, it was worked utilizing four powerful hydraulic engines and one steam engine. In 1845, all the recent mining improvements had been introduced, the process of refining and separating the Silver from Lead Ore was carried out simultaneously, at a newly built smelting plant at Meadowfoot. The average annual output was 1000 tons of Lead and 5750 ounces of Silver. The Mine closed in 1931 only to re-open in the 1950s, it then finally closed due to high operating costs and low Lead prices in 1956. This was the last Mine to close in the Village. 105,000 tonnes of Lead was smelted from the New Glencrieff vein by the time of final closure. There were some surface re-processing operations in the 1960s. The Mine is situated within sight of both the Straitsteps and Bay Mine sites." [Wanlock Visions, information board]

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"The New Glencrieff Vein appears to have been discovered between 1710 and 1721, and soon afterwards a fair quantity of ore was raised from it, but not sufficient to pay expenses. During the driving of the Glenglass adit-level about 1740, the west branch of the vein was discovered. It proved to be very rich and a large quantity of ore was raised. The mine was worked extensively till about 1770 when it was abandoned as unprofitable. It remained in this condition for over seventy years, but was opened up again by Mr. J. Stewart between 1842 and 1850, and the shoot of ore cut at the south end of the New Glencrieff Vein has proved one of the richest in Scotland" [Wilson, 1921]

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"In the 1980's the local estates granted permission on behalf of the Wanlockhead Mining Museum for a group of mine explorers headed by Jeremy Landless to explore the old mine workings. This led to new understanding of the whole complex and a number of amazing discoveries, the most prominent being the finding of an intact water pressure pumping engine and a water pressure winching engine in the New Glencrieff mine. Today most of the 20th century industrial surface remains have been demolished, but the earlier mine buildings are still standing in various states of decline, with some having under gone restoration or preservation to stop further decline...

In 1951 a joint venture between Siamese Tin Syndicate Ltd, Bangrin Tin Ltd and Rio Tinto Ltd was formed under the name of Lowland Lead Mines. The group was interested in operations at the New Glencrieff mine and in 1953 pumping had started to dewater the flooded workings. A year later when almost a depth of 300m had been drained, underground exploration and mapping started. Problems were faced by the group, as there was a shortage of labour and in 1954 Rio Tinto pulled out of the venture. A concentration mill had been erected at a later date, and over 1600 tonnes of lead concentrated had been milled. The price of lead fell towards the end of the 1950's and production was stopped in 1958. The mine closed in 1959. At closure, the reserves were estimated to be at over 200,000 tonnes of lead ore and a further 110,000 tonnes of millable stopes, with additional tonnage in surface dumps" [Mine Explorer]

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"The Friendly Mining Society were succeeded by William and Alexander Telfer; they also prosecuted the workings in New Glencrieve till William's death; after which event Alexander turned his attention to the westward of New Glencrieve, where Mr Weightman had given it as his opinion that lead ore would be found; and having driven up Glenglass level, at a very considerable expense, he fortunately cut what was then thought to be an intersector, but which has since, however, been considered a string from New Glencrieve vein; and its course being nearly N. W. and S.E., it joins New Glencrieve a little to the south of Lorimer's shaft. The String, generally called the West Groove, was hard, occasionally close checked, and had very little vein stuff, with the exception of a little blueish clay, quartz, carbonate of lime, heavy spar, and pyrites; but was comparatively rich in ore, and yielded a fair harvest to Mr Telfer for a number of years. It is reported, by some of the old miners that a small belly of ore was left in the sole of the low drift, and also that one of the midlands, in which there was a considerable quantity of Rider, mixed with lead ore, was neglected; but as the present Company wrought the String for some years after they got their lease, it may be inferred that these statements are incorrect. The operations on the Intersector or String are said to have extended to about 60 fathoms in depth. The mine was cleared of water, partly by water-wheels, and partly by hand pumps. The quantity of water in the mine, according to the statement of the old miners, was small." [History of Sanquhar]

Alternative Names: West Glencrieff Pit, North Glencrieff Mine, Glencrieff Shaft, Glencrieff Winding Shaft, Wanlockhead Mine

Notes: Operated by Wanlockhead Lead Mining Co. Ltd, & Lowland Lead Mines Ltd.

Access to this mine is generally restricted. Access projects have been run by the Wanlockhead Museum Trust with landowner's permissions (see 'The Glenglass Project').

"The main vein itself varies greatly in thickness. It is usually strong, cavernous, and well-defined, but owing to slight changes in direction, and to its being shifted laterally by small strike faults, it is often rather difficult to follow. At the south end the top levels were exceedingly rich in galena, and the main shoot of ore was practically continuous for 200 fms. At the 80-fm. level a large quantity of hemimorphite was also encountered, and at the 120-fm. level this gave place to blende. From that level downwards the galena gradually gave out until at the 200-fm. level the vein consisted almost entirely of blende. A peculiar fact in connection with the blonde is that it is restricted to the south end of the vein, and ends abruptly to the north, though quite recently specimens of blende have been obtained in the 240-fm. level at the north-west end of New Glencrieff Vein. A small quantity of blonde was also met with in some of the upper levels in the "West Branch". Southwards from this main shoot of ore the vein becomes unproductive, and although the 120-fm. level was continued a distance of half-a-mile in a strong open vein no ore was touched in the course of the work. Recent developments at the north end of the 160-fm. level have been more successful, although a considerable amount of trouble was encountered owing to the drivage deviating from the course of the vein. Eventually by crosscutting 21 fms. to the east the vein was picked up again in its true course, and was found to be ore-bearing. The level was then continued a considerable distance through unproductive black shales, but eventually a shoot of ore was cut, which is 50 fms. in length and valued at 12 tons to the fathom. The 240-fm. level has also been driven southward, and the shoot of ore which exists in the 200-fm. level has been found to continue down to the lower one." [Wilson, 1921]

Sphalerite found on spoil heaps were used for road metal.

Referred to as West Glencrieff Pit on OS map of 1899, & New Glencrieff Mine on local information boards.