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Hawhead

Hawhead, Blackhall, Paisley, Renfrewshire.

Quarry (limestone), possibly 17th Century.

"Workings in outcrop along Oldbar Burn, now infilled and burn culverted." [Nisbet].

"Hawkhead Limestone Works was a successful mining venture close to Paisley. At that works the limestone was mined underground and apparently was free of water. Once more there was the benefit of local coal for the burning of the limestone. William Wilson the estate factor of Hawk head handled the leasing. Market potential for limestone was further recognised in the building of a limestone works at Bogton, on the west bank of the Linn of Cart, coal for calcination coming from Robert Couper's colliery close by." [Skillen]

Alternative Names: Hawkhead

Notes: The 1st Ed. 6" OS map shows a long N-S escarpment along the 'Rocks Plantation' on the E side of the Oldbar Burn, a site that would later be flooded to form a reservoir, and where geological maps indicate that limestone and coal outcropped.

The given coordinates are for this locality that is likely to be the main quarrying site described by Nisbet. The underground workings mentioned by Skillen (1990) could be located elsewhere.

The plantation is named from the ledges of rocks therein. [OS Namebook]

The depression has been infilled and now exists as fields, although the outline of the former depression can be made out on satellite imagery.