MineArchiveChampfleurie Mine
| Location | Champfleurie, near Linlithgow, West Lothian — 55.9664, -3.5388 (approximate) |
|---|---|
| Commodities | Oil Shale, Coal |
| Type | Mineral |
| Worked | c. 1884–1902 |
| Maximum depth | 65 fathoms vertical (an incline of about 220 fathoms, 1887). |
| Operators | Linlithgow Oil Company (1901–1902) |
Overview
Champfleurie No. 1, an inclined shale mine beside the retorts of Champfleurie (Bridgend) Oil Works near Linlithgow, worked from about 1884 until the Linlithgow Oil Company failed in 1902. Its incline ran about 220 fathoms to a vertical depth of 65 fathoms in the Broxburn Shale, and a branch worked the Houston coal. The site is now a golf course.
History
Champfleurie No. 1 Shale Mine was an inclined adit driven from beside the retorts of Champfleurie (Bridgend) Oil Works, near Linlithgow, into the Broxburn Shale, from about 1884. In 1887 its incline shaft was about 220 fathoms long, reaching a vertical depth of 65 fathoms; the seam averaged 6 feet 6 inches thick and dipped at 1 in 3, while a second mine dipped at 1 in 3.5 to 4. Fans ventilated the mines, which were to be joined to improve the air and the carriage of shale, pumping gear running sixteen hours a day kept them dry, and an incline mine into the Houston coal raised 80 tons a day.
The works' other shale mines lay south of it on Lord Rosebery's Ochiltree estate and were named Ochiltree, and the workings of Champfleurie No. 1 were eventually linked to Ochiltree Nos. 2 and 3. In September 1901 a fireman of 41 was killed when the roof fell as he and two others repaired a level road.
The mine stayed in production until the oil works closed on the failure of the Linlithgow Oil Company Ltd, and its Broxburn and Dunnet shale and Houston coal workings were abandoned in 1902. The site is now a landscaped golf course.
Geology
The Broxburn Shale, about 6 ft 6 in thick and dipping at 1 in 3, and the Dunnet Shale; the Houston coal.
Workings
An inclined adit about 220 fathoms long with a second mine, fan ventilation and pumping gear, and an incline into the Houston coal; linked to Ochiltree Nos. 2 and 3.
Closure
Abandoned in 1902 on the failure of the Linlithgow Oil Company.
What remains
A landscaped golf course.
Redevelopment
Golf course.
Nearby mines
- Broxburn Oil Works — 3.5 miles (5.6 km) SE
- Duddingston No. 1 and 2 Mines — 3.7 miles (6.0 km) E
- Bridgeness Colliery — 3.8 miles (6.1 km) NW, Falkirk
- Carriden Colliery — 4.3 miles (7.0 km) NW, Falkirk
- Hilderston Silver Mine — 4.7 miles (7.5 km) SW
Straight-line distance, within 9 miles (15 km). Show on the map.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- In 1887 Champfleurie No. 1 mine had an incline about 220 fathoms long to a vertical depth of 65 fathoms in the Broxburn Shale. 1
- In 1887 an incline mine into the Houston coal raised 80 tons a day. 1
- In September 1901 a fireman was killed when the roof fell on a level road under repair at Champfleurie. 2
- The Linlithgow Oil Co. Ltd owned Champfleurie in 1901. 1,2
- The mine stayed in production until the works closed on the failure of the Linlithgow Oil Company, and was abandoned in 1902. 1
- The Broxburn and Dunnet shale workings were abandoned in 1902. 3
Photographs & further reading
The mine, its 1887 description, oil-content notes and photographs of the site.
View sourceSources
- (secondary) Scottish Shale: Champfleurie mine — Scottish Shale (Museum of the Scottish Shale Oil Industry, Almond Valley Heritage Trust)
- (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: Champfleurie, 1901 — Northern Mine Research Society
- (primary) BGS / Mining Remediation Authority mine plan: Champfleurie, Broxburn and Dunnet oil shale, abandoned 1902 — British Geological Survey
Record created: 16 October 2026 · Last researched: 16 October 2026