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Lady Nancy Pit

Law Knowes, Blantyre, Lanarkshire.

Mine (Ironstone), probably late-19th century (pre-1886).

Site of buried shaft that accessed a relatively small-scale area of longwall workings in clayband ironstone at a depth of 21 fms [38m], layout of which is shown on abandonment plan (AP1917). This 'No.2 Pit' is probably better known as the Lady Nancy Pit, in reference to a former adjacent bing that was known locally as the 'Lady Nancy'. A roadway trending W in the upper seam acted as an outlet to the River Calder, probably linked to a convoluted level that followed the W margin of the Basket Mine ironstone workings & exited in the E bank of the 'Rotten Calder' at [NS 6649 5570] (see mine plan S4843).

"Lady Nancy Pit owned by the Moore Family of Greenhall and worked on until resources exhausted before the end of the 19th Century. There are several theories on how the bing [the 'Lady Nancy'] was named... When ironstone was discovered under the field, the proprietors retained the name which was part into common use by each worker" [Blantyre Project]

Alternative Names: Craigmuir No.2 Pit, Crossbasket No.2 Pit

Notes: Abandonment plan description states ownership at time of abandonment by Colin Dunlop & Co. (of the Clyde Iron Works near Glasgow, later James Dunlop and Co). However, the plan itself shows a wet signature by Ralph Moore, of Glasgow.

Surface features absent on 1864 map, but bing depicted beside shaft site on 1897 ed. Bing may have been removed or re-landscaped by Dec 2025.

Photos show a small stone-lined mine entrance, but unsure if this refers to the Pit site or located elsewhere around the 'Lady Nancy fields' (no adits marked on MRA map, other than Basket & Caldenglen cement mines much further SW).

Name of Crossbasket No.1 Pit is given on a relatively-recent label on the BGS-held abandonment plan. However, the pit shaft & the N half of the workings are situated on the lands of Craigmuir farm, & the name of Craigmuir No.1 is given to the neighbouring No.1 Pit on the BGS GeoIndex.

Given coordinates based on abandonment plan (AP1917).

Hydrographic Feeds: None

Hydrographic Resurgences: None