The Eglinton Castle estate was situated at Irvine, on the outskirts of Kilwinning, North Ayrshire, Scotland (map reference NS 3227 42200) in the former district of Cunninghame. Eglinton Castle, was once home to the Montgomeries, Earls of Eglinton and chiefs of the Clan Montgomery. Eglinton Country Park now occupies part of the site.
A dense network of mineral railway lines existed in the 19th and 20th centuries; the trackbed now being used as cycle paths in several places. A complex set of collieries, coal pits, tile works, fire-clay works and workers villages are evident from records such as OS maps. Little now remains of the buildings and railway lines, apart from at Lady Ha' Colliery, but irregular depressions in the ground, embankments, cuttings, coal bings and abandoned bridges all bear witness to what was at one time a very active coalfield with associated industries and infrastructure.
Oil In the 1860s records for the Perceton freight line show that shale oil was being transported from Fergushill pit to West Lothian.Hawksworth, Page 6
Coal mining
The coal seams McMichael records that nine coal seams underlie the Parish of Kilwinning, their names and dimensions from top to bottom being : Five-quarter coal, ; parrot coal, ; turf coal, ; wee coal, No.1, ; lady ha' coal, ; ell coal, ; stone coal, ; wee coal No.2, ; and main coal, .McMichael, Page 171
Early coal exploration in the area
Apart from direct involvement in the provision of coal from their own estates the earls provided loans to others, such as to Robert Cunninghame of Auchenharvie who developed extensive coal mining operations in the Barony of Stevenston. The results were variable, however the Earls did obtain some new lands, rents, tolls and other benefits.Hughson, Page 9
The earliest form of coal mining was at what was called adits or in Scotland, 'ingaun e'es' (ingoing eyes), in which exposed coal was mined through the coal seam itself. These were typically in places such as valleys where erosion had exposed the coal veins.A Short History of the Scottish Coal-Mining Industry. Page 36
At first in the 16th century, peat, charcoal or timber were the preferred fuels and only when they were in short supply was coal actively sought. The Eglinton Estate papers record details of tenants petitioning for coal to be provided, however the cost involved and the farmers lack of ability to pay often made such mining uneconomic. In the 17th century dwindling supplies of other fuels and demand from developing towns in Ireland led to coal mining becoming economically viable and sometimes highly remunerative.Hughson, Page 4
The Doura pits had been worked at the time of Mary Queen of Scots (1542–1587), when they had supplied coal to the Palace of Holyrood and Edinburgh Castle. It was later abandoned on being flooded.Service, page 117. This is not as unlikely as it seems because the mining methods of the time had exhausted the known accessible coal stocks and that their existed an "exhorbitant dearth and scantness of fewale within the Realme".Hall, Page 29 In the 18th century and before, Dowra (sic), was a 'household word' in the district due to the excellent quality of the coal it produced.Dobie, Page 131
Coal workings and wastes at Monkridding near Kilwinning were recorded by Timothy Pont in 1608, extending between 50 and , associated with the limestone.Dobie, Pages 332–333
In the 1660s coal mining activities intensified on the Eglinton estates, partly to supply the needs of the Irish who had none.Whatley, Page 54 Coal heughs were shallow pits and in 1686 they had been sunk at Doura and Armsheugh, the coal being taken down to Irvine via the Drukken Steps or via Stanecastle.Strawhorn, Page 58
The Earls demanded extremely high rents for their coal mines and they did not work the Fergushill pits as they were required for the 'use of the House of Eglinton'. This policy may have been to conserve their coal supplies and it resulted in high prices and a shortage.
Charles Sherriff was sub-factor to the 10th Earl between 1759 and 1761 and coal manager during the 1760s.Whatley, Page 82 At Fergushill Provost William McTaggart paid £2000 Scots for twenty coal hewers in the 18th century.Whatley, Page 58
In 1771 the Earl had a pit and feued an 'avenue from the Circle at the Mains down to the river' from Irvine Burgh. He had permission to build roads, waggonways, breastworks, and coal rees on the river side.Strawhorn, Page 76
In 1808 William Aiton recorded coal mining at Eglinton, Doura, and Sourlie.Aiton, Page 47
John Smith in 1895 records "the remains of an old lade, which supplied water to drive a wheel wherewith the old coal-pits used to be drained."Smith, Page 61 This was an early example of the use of water-gins (water-wheels) to help drain mines.A Short History of the Scottish Coal-Mining Industry. Page 44
The Eglinton Colliery was the main centre for the earls coal operations in the 18th century, however it was flooded when miners broke into old waste at Fergushill in 1747; Millburn Colliery was also operated at this time. 28 hewers were employed at the time. Agents worked Redburn and Fergushill until these were laid up in 1790.Duckham, Page 157
In 1872 the 14th Earl, Archibald William, took in £9,500 a year from mineral royalties, around £900,000 in modern terms (2009); he collected an additional £37,000 a year from rents, worth around £2,500,000 in 2009.Kilwining Past & Present, Section 4.4
Coal pits Many of the small pits were mined and formed by the bell pit method which had a vertical shaft, followed by the horizontal removal of coal and finally an infilling with material from another bell pit. Eventually these partly back-filled pits collapsed and formed dry or more usually flooded bell shaped pits; this method ofmining was only possible where coal was close to the surface. The term pit continued to be used for more complex mining sites and generally referred to each shaft.A Short History of the Scottish Coal-Mining Industry. Page 37
The 10th Earl had sunk bell pits in Kyleshill Street in Saltcoats in 1759-60. The wives and daughters had carried out the coal hewed by the men up ladders on their backs.Graham, Page 30 A local poet had written:
Sair back and sair bones Trudgin' mony a mile Sad is the darg o'women folks On the weary Hill o'Kyle.Carragher, Page 110
A Dr. Duguid was the doctor for the Doura pit in the 18th century and recorded that when the flooded pit was drained, William Ralston, the ganger, found the old workmen's tools and their bones at the coal face. In the 18th century another disaster took place at Doura after heavy frosts had loosened the pit soil and the pit supports gave way. Pate Brogildy from the Redboiler survived, however he later had his arm ripped off at the shoulder blade by the flywheel of the pit steam engine. He survived as the twisting motion of the 'amputation' had sealed the arteries. Willie Forgisal (Fergushill?) of Torranyard had his leg amputated above the knee. James Jamphrey from Corsehill was killed instantly.Service, pages 138–139.
A William Forgisal (Fergushill) of Torranyard was a miner at the Doura Pit in the 18th century. He lost his leg in a mining accident, as had his father. William's wife was a tough sort, her comment being on seeing him so encumbered, was that the Forgisals would need a small plantation of their own to keep them in crutches.Service (1887), Page 140.
The Statistical Account records that the coals at Doura were ell and stone-coals. Easter Doura mine employed 12 – 16 colliers and was owned by Lord Lisle and was leased by him for £140 per annum in the 18th century.
In 1725 the Earl of Eglinton was granted a 57 year tack from Patrick Warner to work coal within the lands of Dovecothall (Ardeer) and Piperheugh. In 1774 Patrick Warner and Robert Reid Cunningham signed a mutual agreement to work coal on the lands of Ardeer and Pyperheugh (sic).Clements, Page 27
John and George Taylor, sons of a lawyer, are recorded as having held leases for coal mines at Bartonholm and Doura in the early 19th century.Whatley, Page 73
The Corsehillmuir pits were located near Corsehillhead and Five roads; a number of other pits were located nearby and at Buckreddan, off the Bannoch road. Moncur pit was rail served and located near Mid Moncur farm. Numerous coal pits were present in the Doura, Benslie, Auchenwinsey and Sourlie areas.
Coal pits were located ar Redburn near Redburn House and at Dykehead near the confluence of the Garnock and the Lugton Water. These pits were joined to the rail network via the line at Dirrans.
In 1856 a pit was located at South Millburn with an associated pit cottage, however by 1881 the pit had closed. The levelled bing or spoil heap is still apparent in the nearby field.
Eglinton Collieries The 1856 OS map shows 28 pits in the vicinity of Irvine, but only 12 by 1874.
A colliery is a coal mine together with its physical plant and outbuildings. It differs from a pit in the degree of complexity and sophistication; by inference the term is used for coal mines established from the time of the industrial revolution onwards.
Eglinton No.10 was also known as Corsehillhead; Knox's; Lady Gardener; and Pyetbog. It produced Ladyha', Ell and Wee coal, being abandoned in 1900.Mines Department, Page 37 Fergushills nos 29 and 30 (named Montgomeryfield after a miner who died at the mine) were near Sourlie Hill roundabout; Fergushills nos 28 & 26 (Sourlie), the 'Happy Home' were near the Draught Burn and closed on 15 July 1921 (the bings survive). Fergushill 28's railway culvert for the Draught Burn survives; the burn has however changed course. 100 men were employed here; Fergushill no 22, the 'Diamond', was at Chapelholms (the bings survive), abandoned 1889;Mines Department, Page 39 Fergushill 23, also called the 'Happy Home', was near no 22; Scottish National Archive. GD1/905/78. Shipmill no 3 was near Sourlie, opened in the mid 1930s and closed on 13 October 1945; Fergushill no 17, Rover, was near Chapelholms Wood (bings survive), abandoned 1921;Mines Department, Page 38 Fergushill (Holm) no 23 was near North Millburn farm (the bings survive).
Moncur no 4 & no 5 were near Eglinton Kennels (bings survive), abandoned 1919; Ladyha no 1 was at the Bannoch Road; Ladyha no 2 was at Lady Ha' (substantial remains); and Eglinton no 1, Lady Sophia (name after the 14th Earl's eldest daughter, opened in 1883 & closed 1930), was near the hospital; Redburn closed in 1930. Eglinton colliery and Ladyha no 1 were situated near Buckreddan, just off the Bannoch Road. Redstone colliery was located near Kenneth's castle towards Bridgend. A colliery was present at Bartonholm, closed by Bairds in 1928; Bogside closed in 1929.Kilwinning Past & Present, Section 7.4 Other collieries were at Stobbs, Monkridden, and Seven Acres (Snacres).
The Diamond pit (Fergushill no 22) explains the modern name 'Diamond Bridge' which is given to Chapelholms bridge and the name 'Diamond Lodge' which may have been the now demolished Chapel cottage.Montgomeries of Eglinton, page 107. Black Diamond was a favourite horse of one of the Earls.
The Statistical Account records that the coals at Doura were main and stone-coals. Laigh Fergus-hill (sic) mine was owned by Mr McDowal and was leased by him for £100 per annum in the 18th century. Eglinton Colliery was flooded for some years after miners broke into an old waste at Fergushill in November 1747. The early mines were laid up in the 1790s.Duckham, Page 157.
Ladyha No 2 colliery
The colliery infrastructure consisted of: 1 – Downcast shaft & winding engine house; 2 – upcast shaft and winding engine/cum pump house; 3 – engineer's and blacksmith's shops; 4 – winch house; 5 – store; 6 – office; 7 – boiler house and chimney; 8 – screening house; 9 – fan/compressor house; 10 – wagon traverser; 11 – underground band haulage.