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Caledonia Fireclay Pit(s)

Paisley, Mossvale, Renfrewshire.

Fireclay Pit (19th Century).

Approx 45 m deep and extends at least c.370 m in a SW direction from entrance shaft.

Formed part of the Caledonia Brick & Drain Tile Works. Two 'Old Clay Pits' are also noted on the works grounds N of Caledonia Lane, and on the site of the neighbouring Victoria Brick Works that was located between Caledonia Lane & Caledonia Street (shown on OS 6" map 1857 at NS 4784 6471,

4788 6461, and c.4772 6452). Also shown are 'Clay Pit's at NS 4788 6490 and c.NS 4792 6482, then part of the North Caledonia Brick Works.

All now buried below industrial estate units / car park.

Alternative Names: Victoria Brick Works

Notes: Given coordinates approx. based on 1857 OS map labels.

"Fireclay Pit (At Mossvale) in Caledonia Street, belonging to Messrs. Speirs, Gibb, & Co. William Gilmour, sen, and William Gilmour, Jun., Newton Street, Paisley, were working in the branch of the pit in Clark Street, about 400 yards in a southwesterly direction from the bottom of the pit shaft when a large quantity of mixed stones and fireclay fell from the roof of the pit." [Paisley and Renfrewshire Gazette, 26/12/1885]

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"... a very serious accident occurred in the clayit owned by Messrs Spiers and Gibb, Caledonia Works, a short distance to the west of the town. A number of men were employed widening the road at a certain division of the pit, which is about 25 fathoms deep..." [Greenock Telegraph, 29/09/1874]

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Messrs Merry & Cunningham bored for ironstone on that part of the ground where the racecourse is formed, but the result being unsatisfactory, they abandoned the undertaking. In the course of the operations, however, seams of limestone, coal, and fireclay were found, and Messrs Speirs & Gibb, coal merchants in Paisley, having satisfied themselves that a rich field of minerals existed in the burgh land, secured a lease of the entire underground minerals. Further operations revealed the existence of a bed of very superior fireclay from 12 to 14 feet in thickness, which, it is believed, extends throughout nearly the whole burgh possessions. Messrs Speirs & Gibb are now engaged in flourishing manufacture of fireclay articles. Above the fireclay is a seam of coal of about 2 feet thick, but above the coal is a stratum, several feet in thickness, of excellent limestone, which it is expected will by and by be turned to good account. In the meantime, the manufacture of red bricks, &c., by Messrs Brown is being carried on very extensively on various parts of the lands ... [North British Agriculturist, 19/05/1869]