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Castlecary Pit

Castlecary, Cumbernauld, Dumbartonshire.

Mine (Limestone & Fireclay). 19th to (early) 20th Centuries.

Extensive pillar and stall complex, mostly around Castlecary House (where seams are worked out) and N & S of Garnhall. Supplied the adjacent Castlecary Fireclay & Lime Works with limestone, white/black clay, & some ganister. Site of shaft on N side of railway, but most of complex is on the S side. See abandonment plan (in refs) for detailed layout.

Most of the limestone workings are from the 19th Century, with survey dates on the AP being from 1865-74. These were probably worked from the 'Old Shaft' [Site 8426], and Pit No.2 [Site 7795]. The complex eventually included a late clay mine [Site 8427]. The complex was abandoned in 1939.

Alternative Names: None recorded.

Notes: Given 8 fig. coordinates derived from OS georef tool (using geol. map). Given depth is shaft depth down to Limestone Clay Seam (basal level).

Ganister is a hard, fine-grained sandstone, used in manufacturing silica bricks for lining furnaces.