Biggar Gasworks

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Biggar Gasworks

The Biggar Gasworks is a former gasworks in the Scottish town of Biggar in the Council Area South Lanarkshire . Today the Biggar Gasworks Museum is located there . In 1980 the complex was included in the Scottish monument lists in the highest category A. Furthermore, the Gas Show Rooms and the Manager's House are classified separately as Category A structures. Finally, the facility is classified as a Scheduled Monument .

history

In 1812 the first plant for the production of gas for lighting purposes was opened in London . After Glasgow followed five years later and Edinburgh six years later, another twelve gasworks were built in Scotland in the 1830s. These included Biggar Gasworks, which started operations in 1839.

The coal gasification plant was in operation until 1973. It served the local supply. The annual consumption of coal in 1914 was 400  tons . Over the decades, the plant has been continuously modernized. In 1973 around 1900 m 3 of gas were produced. The facility, which has now been converted into a museum, is one of the best-preserved small gas works in Scotland.

Gas showrooms

Gas showrooms

The gas showrooms are at the north end of the facility across from the Manager's House. The one-story building now houses the museum administration. The building was built around 1840. Its masonry consists partly of stone blocks and partly of roughly hewn quarry stone . From the north side there is a flatter extension with a hipped roof . Like the gable roof, it is covered with slate.

Manager's House

The Manager's House across the street from the gas showrooms was also built around 1840. It is the former home of the operations manager. The masonry along the south-facing front of the one-story building consists of ashlar stones. The natural stone surrounds of the building openings are contrasted in color, as are the corner stones . Two dormers with flat roofs protrude from the final slate-covered gable roof . They are more recent.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  2. ↑ a b Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  3. ↑ a b Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  4. ↑ Scheduled Monument - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  5. ↑ a b Information about the museum
  6. ↑ a b Entry on Biggar Gasworks  in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)

Web links

Commons : Biggar Gasworks Museum  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 55 ° 37 '23.7 "  N , 3 ° 31' 40.7"  W.