Wanlockhead
| Wanlockhead | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Coordinates | 55 ° 24 ′ N , 3 ° 47 ′ W | ||
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| administration | |||
| Post town | BIGGAR | ||
| ZIP code section | ML12 | ||
| prefix | 01659 | ||
| Part of the country | Scotland | ||
| Council area | Dumfries and Galloway | ||
| British Parliament | Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale | ||
| Scottish Parliament | Dumfriesshire | ||
Wanlockhead is Scotland's highest town. It belongs to Dumfries and Galloway and is 471 m above sea level.
The first settlement approaches go back to 1680, when James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth had a first lead works and workers' quarters built. The Romans had already mined lead here before . From the 13th century onwards, lead was also mined during the summer and, to a lesser extent, zinc , copper , silver and gold .
Mining continued until the middle of the 20th century. In some cases gold deposits were found that were of exceptional purity (22.8 carats) - that is why gold washers can still be found today, who, however, are more motivated by a thirst for adventure than serious gold prospecting interests. In the village there is the “Lead Mining Museum”, in which the daily work of the mine workers is shown over centuries. With a local mine operator, you can even enter the Lochnell Mine, which was in operation from 1710 to 1860. Here, too, you can get an impression of the working conditions in the prepared tunnel: It is part of the Lead Mining Museum.
View over Wanlockhead
Water pumping station
