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Fox Mine

Bilston Glen, Midlothian.

Previously unrecorded coal mine located in Bilston Wood close to the footpath from the former Path-head Farm (now Bilston Industrial Estate) on the north of the Bilston Burn, to Langhill Farm near Dryden Tower (a 19th century folly), on the south side of the burn.

Examined in August 2010 by Mark Stanford and Jim Salvona. They went in a few metres but retreated due to instability. Mark dug a further 2 m into the mine in September 2010. Derek Pettiglio dug his way into a roomier passage in February 2012 to reach about 25 m into the tunnel on a bearing of 235 degrees to where it was blocked with breakdown. A week later Derek passed this blockage and entered about 40 m of spacious passage with some calcite on the walls. Returning a week later he went 10 m further to where the passage made a sharp left turn on a bearing of 175 degrees. 2 m later the passage closed down to a low arch filled with sand, silt and stones. There was a strong sound of running water beyond. 2 m further was dug out reaching a point where the solid roof ended possibly at the foot of a shaft. The sound of water was ahead and below.

Alternative Names: Bilston Glen Tunnel

Notes: A trip by Derek and Mark in March 2013 was aborted when they met a vixen with six fox cubs. When Derek surveyed the mine in June 2020, he found the remains of a long dead adult fox. With no prior information on the mine and the association with foxes, Derek named it Fox Mine.

Possible association with Loanhead Colliery (Burghlee Pit) to the north-east as other shafts are shown on the 1854 OS map [NT 27318 64797, NT 27699 64902 and NT 27697 64948]. Another old shaft is shown on the 1892 OS map at NT 26628 64817 (Pastmap plots this in the wrong location, north of the burn when it should be south of the burn).

Burghlee pit was originally owned by the Shotts Iron Company Limited and produced House and Steam coal, ironstone and fireclay but as production is supposed to have started in 1860, it may not be related to the earlier mines.

92 m from the plotted position of the entrance of Fox Mine would place the furthest point of the passage close to another loop of the Bilston Burn but still far short of the old shaft at NT 26628 64817.

A short distance downstream the Bilston burn is culverted under the spoil from Bilston Glen Colliery. [Hansard]