Scottish shale Scottish shale

Shawsburn Oil Works

Former parish and county:
Parish of Dalserf, County of Lanark
Local authority:
South Lanarkshire
Ownership:
Andrew Spencer (firm)
Opened:
1871 or earlier
Closed:
Not working from c.1871, site cleared c. 1876 ?
Current status of site:
Rough grazing
Regional overview:
Oil works in South Lanarkshire

shawsburnworks500.jpg

A crude oil works operated by coalmaster Andrew Spencer in association with his Shawsburn collieries. It is presumed that, as at the nearby Birkenshaw and Swinehill oil works, oil was produced from Kiltongue Musselband shale.

Retorts

Noted in valuation rolls as having 20 retorts in 1871, and subsequently 18 retorts.

Mapped by the Ordnance Survey of c.1864, showing "Oil Retorts" marked on 6" map.

  • 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
      NO FURTHER ENTRIES
      FOOTNOTES
      The above transcript of rateable value entries appears incorrect in combining records of Birkenshaw oil works with those of Shawsburn Oil Works.
  • Location map
  • Detailed maps
      • Shawsburn Oil Works - 25" OS map c.1898, courtesy National Library of Scotland Shawsburn Oil Works - Aerial, courtesy National Library of Scotland wSHAWmMK01.jpg
    P1030064.jpg P1030069.jpg P1030074.jpg

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