Ashgill Colliery

Overview

Brand and Company's colliery at Ashgill, near Larkhall in Dalserf parish, worked from the 1860s and closed in October 1951.

History

Ashgill Colliery lay at Ashgill, near Larkhall in Dalserf parish. A sinker fell out of the sinking kettle while ascending the shaft in January 1869, and on 30 June 1874 a fireman, John Findlayson, and an engineman, Andrew Forrest, were killed by an explosion of firedamp ignited while they were putting in brattice with naked lights instead of safety lamps. Other early deaths were a boy of 14 who ran a tub into the pit while the gates were off for repair, and a roadsman who leapt from the cage when the engineman took it up instead of down.

In the 1880s and 1890s Ashgill belonged to Brand and Company, of the Ashgill and Auldton Collieries, Larkhall, with Thomas Gardner as manager in 1893. In December 1884 the fireman, Archibald Wood, was suffocated by the fumes of an underground fire while making the morning inspection, and in December 1888 William Smith fell off the cage as it ascended. Plans of abandoned Ashgill workings are dated 1884, 1889 (with Auldton) and 1902, and the colliery closed in October 1951, the date of its last plan.

Geology

Unknown.

Workings

A shaft sunk with a kettle and worked by cage; stoop-and-room workings.

Closure

Closed in October 1951.

What remains

Unknown.

Related mines

• Cornsilloch Colliery — Neighbouring Larkhall collieries.
• Skellyton Colliery — Neighbouring Larkhall collieries.

Recorded claims

Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.

• Ashgill Colliery, Larkhall, closed in October 1951. ^1,2
• In the 1880s and 1890s Ashgill belonged to Brand and Co., of the Ashgill and Auldton Collieries, Larkhall. ^3,4
• In December 1884 Ashgill's fireman was suffocated by the fumes of an underground fire while making the morning inspection. ^1,4
• On 30 June 1874 a fireman and an engineman at Ashgill were killed by firedamp ignited while putting in brattice with naked lights. ¹
• Abandonment plans of Ashgill workings are dated 1884 and 1951. ^5,2

Sources

1. (primary) Ashgill Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
2. (primary) BGS / Mining Remediation Authority mine plan 21857353: Ashgill, abandoned 1951 — British Geological Survey
3. (primary) List of Mines in Scotland, 1893 — Scottish Mining Website
4. (secondary) Scottish Mining Website: fatal accidents 1884 — Scottish Mining Website
5. (primary) BGS / Mining Remediation Authority mine plan 21855775: Ashgill, abandoned 1884 — British Geological Survey

Record created: 21 October 2026 · Last researched: 21 October 2026