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Clippens Pit

Straiton, Loanhead, Midlothian.

Mine (Limestone), early 20th Century.

Extensive pillar-and-stall limestone workings connected to older Dunnet Shale workings (which were related to the Straiton Oil Works). Mine was accessed via a centrally-placed pit shaft, the site of which is now buried along edge of retail park, on E side of Straiton Rd opposite the junction to the Straiton P&R. The complex was also open to surface via three closely-spaced adits at approx [NT 2685 6629], although these appear to be buried/blocked.

The complex is elongate, trending roughly WSW-ENE and extending ~0.8 km to the SW. To the NE, the main workings extended as far as the present-day Edinburgh Bypass with a subordinate extension beyond that linked with old workings (probably associated with the Burdiehouse Limestone Mine) to a point c.0.8km NE of the Clippens Pit. See abandonment plan (in links) for detailed layout.

Alternative Names: Straiton No.3 Mine

Notes: Operated by Bairds & Scottish Steel Ltd, and abandoned in 1961.

Clippens Pit shaft assumed here to be linked to the 'old shaft' shown on 2nd Ed. 25" OS map (given 8 fig. NGR coordinates), although this may have been a shale pit beside which a separate/later adjacent shaft may have been sunk to limestone.

Given length is approx. distance between SW and NE extremities. The combined length of passages will be significantly larger (>10km).