Wanlockhead


Dumfries and Galloway

An isolated village in the Lowther Hills of north Dumfries and Galloway, Wanlockhead lies on the Wanlock Water, nearly 2 miles (3 km) southwest of Leadhills. Formerly a lead-mining village, it is situated at 467m (1531 feet) above sea-level and is Britain's highest village. A trail through the village from Wanlockhead Museum follows the route of a former narrow gauge railway to the Loch Nell Mine which was first opened in 1710 when the Quaker Company leased the mine and rebuilt the village. Wanlockhead was rebuilt again after 1842 when the Dukes of Queensberry took a direct interest in the running of the mines and the welfare of the miners. A water-powered beam engine used to pump water out of the Straitsteps Mine is the only one of its kind in Britain to have survived virtually intact.


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