Scottish shale Scottish shale

Birkenshaw Oil Works

Former parish and county:
Parish of Dalserf, County of Lanarkshire
Local authority:
South Lanarkshire
Ownership:
Andrew Spence
Opened:
Built c.1867
Closed:
Presumably dismantled c.1870 ?
Current status of site:
Returned to agriculture - pasture
Regional overview:

birkenshawworks50011.jpg

A small scale oil works, presumably exploiting local Musselband Coal Shale, which seemingly lay unused throughout its existence. Redwood noted that the works, owned by Alan Craig & Sons, operated 1866-1871 and was equipped with 20 D-shaped retorts.

No evidence has yet been found that links Alan Craig & Sons, owners of the Birkenshaw Oil Works with Allan Craig & Sons, proprietor of the Linwood (Blackstone) Oil Works.

Birkenshaw Colliery and associated retorts are marked on the 6" OS map published in 1864, and a small bing close to the site of these retorts remains on the second edition OS map, published in 1897.

  • Rateable value by year
    • Date Rateable Value Owner Occupier Notes
      1867 £100 Alan Craig & Company Alan Craig & Company 20 Retorts & Condensers, not working
      1868 £100 Alan Craig & Company Alan Craig & Company 20 Retorts & Condensers, not working
      1869 £100 Alan Craig & Company Alan Craig & Company 20 Retorts & Condensers, not working
      1870 £100 Alan Craig & Company Alan Craig & Company 20 Retorts & Condensers, not working
      1871 £75 Andrew Spence Andrew Spence 20 Retorts , not working.
      Name changed to Shawburn
      1872 £75 Andrew Spence Andrew Spence 18 Retorts , not working
      1873 £75 Andrew Spence Andrew Spence 18 Retorts , not working
      1874 £75 Andrew Spence Andrew Spence 18 Retorts , not working
      1875 £75 Andrew Spence Andrew Spence 18 Retorts , not working
  • Location map
  • Detailed maps
  • Recent images

  • Newspaper references
    • The Kiltongue Musselband Shale...was also wrought in the Larkhall district at Swinhill, Kittymuir and Birkenshaw, where the yield was 23 galls. a ton.

      Memoirs of the Geological Survey in Scotland. Vol. XXIV Cannel Coals, Lignite and Mineral Oil in Scotland. W. Gibson. 1922