Hermand Old Rows

Parish:

West Calder, Midlothian

Local authority:

West Lothian

Ownership:

Thomas & James Thornton

Opened:

Perhaps constructed c. 1867

Closed:

Demolished 1920's?

Current status of site:

Returned to agriculture

Hermand Old Rows are thought to have been constructed to serve the Hermand Shale Oil Works. of Thomas and James Thornton. The 1895 OS map shows a row of ten homes that seem to comprise a single room with a scullery. Two larger building are joined to the row. The 1871 census lists 17 households at "West Hermand Rows". This name does not appear in subsequent census records, although 12 households (or thereabouts) in "Hermand Row" appear in the 1881, 1891, and 1901 census.

Two other oil works operated in the Hermand estate; The Hermand Shale Oil Works with associated housing at Hermand Old (West) Rows, and the Hermand Oil Works, served by housing at Hermand New Rows.

Location map

Detailed maps

Hermand Old Rows - 25" OS map c.1897, courtesy National Library of Scotland

Hermand Old Rows - 25" OS map c.1907, courtesy National Library of Scotland

Hermand Old Rows - 1:2,500 OS map c.1962, courtesy National Library of Scotland

Hermand Old Rows - Aerial, courtesy National Library of Scotland

Recent images

Site of Hermand Old Rows, 1st ‎October ‎2009

‎Site of Hermand Old Rows, 4th ‎June ‎2011