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MHG2588 - Lead/Graphite Mine - Tom a' Mhein

Summary

A lead mine which has not been worked "for some years" (prior to c.1870).

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

Lead Mine. (Disused) (NAT)
OS 6" map, Inverness-shire, 2nd ed., (1903)

A lead mine which has not been worked "for some years" (prior to c.1870). It consists of a ditch driven a short distance along the vein of ore. Remains of a smelting hearth exist nearby, together with a stamping mill, water-wheel etc. which were falling into decay at the time.
Name Book 1870

Graphite was mined here for a short time at the beginning of the 19th c; in 1818 5 tons were produced.
D D C P Mould 1950

A disused opencast lead mine generally as described in the ONB. The stamping mill and water-wheel cannot be identified, although the three mine buildings survive almost to roof height.
Visited by OS (N K B) 18 October 1966.

A walkover survey was undertaken at Strathglass and Strathfarrar by R. Spencer-Jones and S. North of NoSAS between 2021 and 2024.

Strathfarrar Graphite Mine.

Qu1: Bowl at top end of quarry in the hill-side. NH 28578 38457
Qu2: Top end of gully, the quarry in the hill-side. NH 28586 38468
RP1: Squareish platform. NH 28522 38408
B01: Building measuring 7 x 4m with low walls covered with heather and vegetation up to 0.2m on a platform orientated east-west. Door in middle of south wall with probably an internal platform in the centre of the interior, 1 x 1m. NH 28507 38409
B02: Building 9.4 x 5.8m with upright internal division to east of centre attached to, but not built into, north wall. Doorway 1.2m wide in south wall, 3.9m from southwest corner, 0.6m wide window to right of door, 2.2m from southeast corner. Orientation east-west with small cell in southwest corner, possibly a lambing pen. NH 28551 38399
Spoil: Spoil heap at back of Building 2. NH 28554 38408
B03: Building 7.2 x 6.1m with door in south wall 2m wide, 2m from southeast corner. NH 28569 38391
B04: Building 6.25 x 5.25m with collapsed south wall which probably contained a door. Presumptive window (possibly narrow door) in east corner of north wall. Pen 1.5 x 1.5m in southwest interior corner. NH 28565 38376
Gully: North end of east gully. NH 28578 38400
Track: Start of track to west. NH 28557 38387 <1>

Sources/Archives (3)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 2854 3842 (121m by 118m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH23NE
Civil Parish	KILMORACK
Geographical Area	INVERNESS

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Investigations/Events (1)

External Links (1)