Silvermills , once an ancient village, has been part of Edinburgh since 1809.
90-505: The village is most likely to have taken its name from mills erected to smelt and refine silver ore which had been found at Hilderstone in Linlithgowshire in 1607 or, alternatively, from some of the alchemical projects of James IV or James V . The low-lying land of Silvermills and Canonmills proved an impediment to the further northern extension of the New Town. In the 19th century
180-533: A community hospital in Linlithgow . West Lothian previously had a psychiatric hospital with general hospital in the Dechmont area called Bangour Village Hospital . The hospital opened in 1904 and eventually had beds for 55 officers and 2571 other ranks. The hospital started closing in the 1990s and closed completely in 2004 after the remaining services were transferred to St John's Hospital. The Linburn Centre
270-523: A Scottish mine in the banned play, the King's mine d'Escosse , was likely an insulting reference to his Scottish face or "mien", or to James' demeanour and homosocial personal relations . A joke about "mines" and facial expressions had been current at the French court in 1602 after reports of discoveries of gold and silver, made by a wit or buffoon called La Regnardière or Renardière. The Blackfriars theatre company
360-631: A dominating position in central lowland Scotland with extensive views. Torphichen Preceptory is a 12th-century church in the village of Torphichen . It comprises the remains of the preceptory (headquarters) of the Knights Hospitaller of the Order of St John of Jerusalem in Scotland. Historic houses in West Lothian include Linlithgow Palace , a ruined palace that was one of the principal residences of
450-662: A goldsmith". A Scottish chronicle mentions ore sent from the silver mine at "Binnie" to the Tower of London by the Earl of Dunbar at this time. William Bowyer rode to "Grinston", Cranston near Pathhead , to speak to the Earl of Dunbar about the mines. William Godolphin came later in August and met up with Bowyer, and was also impressed. The German expert Martin Smeddell came to meet Godolphin, summoned from working at nearby "Killeith" or Kinleith burn,
540-505: A large farm and play area. In Bathgate, the Bennie Museum is a museum of local history and heritage that is run by volunteers under the management of a charitable trust. It opened in 1989 and is housed used in two former derelict cottages donated by the Bennie family to the local community in 1980. The Linlithgow Museum is a volunteer-run local history museum in Linlithgow . The museum
630-611: A newly built church in Eyre Crescent, called Davidson Church after its first minister, Rev. Peter Davidson in 1881. St Bernard's South and Davidson united at St Bernard's Davidson Church in 1945. St Bernard's Stockbridge united with St Bernard's Davidson in 1980. It was demolished in 1985. 55°57′31″N 3°12′13″W / 55.95861°N 3.20361°W / 55.95861; -3.20361 Hilderston, West Lothian Hilderston or Hilderstone in West Lothian , Scotland ,
720-618: A play opened apparently on the theme of the Scottish silver bonanza, performed by the Children of the Queen's Revels at the Blackfriars Theatre , and was promptly closed after offending King James. The text has not survived. On 8 April, the French ambassador, Antoine Lefèvre de la Boderie, mentioned it slandered James, his Scottish mine, and his favourites. Boderie had already reported in detail
810-620: A stream that joins the Water of Leith at Currie . Efforts were also made to open mines at Calder Moor and at the Water of "Even" or Avon . Hilderston ore was assayed at the Tower of London by Thomas Russell and Andrew Palmer in August and September. The English ambassador in Venice Henry Wotton read the Earl of Salisbury's report of the mine and assay to the Doge at the end of August, emphasising
900-486: A theatre five years later. It then became a ballroom which burned down to be replaced by flats in the style of the surrounding Georgian architecture. All but Silvermills House itself was redeveloped by 1997, as part of a Council plan for the area. The western side is largely housing. The main estate is by Cala Homes and has a sculpture at its centre, over life-size of a horse and rider holding an eagle, "Horse~Rider~Eagle" by sculptor, Eoghan Bridge. The eastern section contains
990-403: A two-storey workshop built in brick but with a traditional flavour. Although redeveloped the medieval routes of both East and West Silvermills Lane were preserved in their entirety. The former steep dog-leg link from the east lane to Fettes Row was removed c.2000 when a residential development was built but a public pedestrian route still exists under the building. The most prominent building in
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#17328557278971080-549: A visitor centre and a loch), Polkemmet Country Park (a 68 hectare park near Whitburn with woodlands, river walks and outdoor facilities), and Almondell and Calderwood Country Park along the Almond river valley near Mid Calder. Blawhorn Moss is a raised bog located near Blackridge that has been a national nature reserve since 1980 and is the largest and least disturbed raised bog in the Lothians. Public healthcare in West Lothian
1170-606: A warden's flat. The warden's flat became a retirement flat in 2010. Its main entrance is on Henderson Row, the gardens and car park are accessed from West Silvermills Lane. On this site, at the Disruption of the Church of Scotland in 1843, St Bernard's Free Church was founded together with a church hall and a beadle's house. The church was rebuilt in 1856. The Free Church united with the United Presbyterian Church in 1900, forming
1260-463: A week or more of illness. Mine administrators had a stock of paper to issue passports for returning miners who were sick and "discharged". Three miners, John Roberts, Thomas Roberts, and Thomas Jackharris, were jailed at Linlithgow in February 1610 for disobedience. Thomas Jackharris was a skilled worker who accompanied Bevis Bulmer during three days of surveying work. The London goldsmith and Master of
1350-491: Is Category A listed and features as the logo of West Lothian Council. West Lothian has no airport or airfields in current operation. The county has a few historic airfields, now defunct, including a temporary airfield that once existed in Bathgate. While the village of Kirknewtown is inside West Lothian, the nearby RAF Kirknewton airfield lies inside the boundary of Edinburgh. The nearest airport in operation to West Lothian
1440-568: Is a health centre for blinded war veterans at Wilkieston . The centre is located within the estate of Linburn House, a country house which was demolished in 1955. The Museum of the Scottish Shale Oil Industry was created in 1990, to preserve the history of the shale industry in West Lothian and beyond. It is sited on a former mill at Millfield, near Livingston and is attached to the Almond Valley Heritage Centre,
1530-468: Is a privately owned zoo located in Polbeth , West Calder opened in 2005. The zoo has grown into one of West Lothian's top visitor attractions and was awarded ‘Best Family Day Out’ at the 2024 Scottish Entertainment and Hospitality Awards. West Lothian has a diverse economy and as of 2020 had approximately 4,500 businesses providing almost 72,000 jobs in the area. In 2014, West Lothian Council reported that
1620-651: Is administered by NHS Lothian within NHS Scotland . The main hospital for West Lothian is St John's Hospital in Livingston. The hospital has a dedicated Accident and Emergency department with 550 beds and opened in 1989. St Johns is a teaching hospital for the University of Edinburgh Medical School . Other public hospitals include Tippethill House Hospital a community hospital in Armadale and St Michael's Hospital ,
1710-737: Is housed in the Linlithgow Partnership Centre, along with the West Lothian Family History Society and library. Military Museum Scotland is a military history museum in Wilkieston that covers Scottish military history from the First World War to the present day. The Museum of Scottish Railways is a railway museum located within the station yard of Bo'ness at the Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway . Five Sisters Zoo
1800-789: Is represented in the Scottish Parliament by two constituency members and seven regional members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). In the Parliament of the United Kingdom West Lothian is represented by two members of Parliament. Labour Party Member of Parliament (MP) Gregor Poynton represents the Livingston constituency . Kirsteen Sullivan represents the Bathgate and Linlithgow (UK Parliament constituency) Until 2024,
1890-624: The A71 road (which passes through the south of the county connecting settlements including Livingston, Polbeth, West Calder and Breich), the A899 and A705 in Livingston, and the A801 road which runs from east of Polmont to Whitburn. Several railway routes run through West Lothian. These include: West Lothian has a number of former, disused and defunct railway lines, principally branch lines that originated in connection with oil, mineral and shale mining activities in
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#17328557278971980-505: The City of Edinburgh District. In 1996 West Lothian became a unitary authority area, using the same name and territory as in 1975. West Lothian lies on the southern shore of the Firth of Forth and is predominantly rural, though there were extensive coal, iron, and shale oil mining operations in the 19th and 20th centuries which created distinctive red-spoil heaps (locally known as " bings ") throughout
2070-768: The Duke of Saxony , a brother-in-law of Anne of Denmark. The team leader or overseer of the Saxony miners was Henry Starky or Starchy. The French ambassador, Boderie, sent an agent, Robert le Maçon, Sieur de la Fontaine , who had known George Bruce of Carnock for 20 years, to inspect the mines and countryside in October 1608. Richard Martin reported an adverse assay and technical difficulties in October. After doubtful smelting experiments in an ironmaster 's furnace at Maresfield in Sussex , in December, it
2160-459: The Royal Mint , Edmund Doubleday (a tall Middle Temple lawyer said to have arrested Guy Fawkes ), and Bevis Bulmer to survey the site and examine the stockpiled ore in the winter of 1607/8, and take a quantity for assay. The Privy Council of Scotland had reservations about this apparent appropriation of private property, but John Arnot of Birswick produced Hamilton's letter agreeing to satisfy
2250-559: The Wars of the Three Kingdoms , and Sir Tam Dalyell , a member of the House of Commons from 1962 to 2005. Hopetoun House is a large country house and estate near South Queensferry that was built between 1699 and 1701, and was designed by Sir William Bruce . The house was then hugely extended from 1721 by William Adam until his death in 1748, being one of his most notable projects. The interior
2340-496: The Water of Leith at a point just north of Stockbridge , through the area and on to Canonmills Loch at Canonmills. John Lauder of Silvermills (died 28 July 1838), owner of the tannery, and father to the famous brother artists Robert Scott Lauder (1803–1869) and James Eckford Lauder (1811–1869), both born in Silvermills had a house south of the 'Great Mill Lade' (or Lead or Dam), just behind where St. Stephen's Church now stands;
2430-614: The "undoubted truth" that the vein of silver was rich and the hopes that it was as rich and dependable as those of the Indies . 98 barrels of ore had been shipped to London. In September, Palmer sent the results of a "private assay" to the Earl of Salisbury. Palmer advised Salisbury to withhold information about the assay and prevent Thomas Knyvet at the Tower Mint releasing Scottish ore to refiners before further tests were completed. On 7 October 1608 eight German miners were sent to Scotland from
2520-560: The 19th century but were later closed as traffic diminished and industrial operations ceased. Many of the railways in West Lothian use significant viaducts to cross rivers, ravines and other difficult terrain. One prominent example is the Almond Valley Viaduct built by railway engineer John Miller to carry the Glasgow–Edinburgh via Falkirk line and completed in 1842. The viaduct is 1.5 miles long with 36 masonry arches,
2610-645: The English mining entrepreneur Bevis Bulmer partnered with his brother-in-law, the Scottish goldsmith and financier Thomas Foulis . Hamilton sent "little parcels" of native silver and ore and topographic details to King James in London, and the King asked Robert Cecil, Earl of Salisbury to conduct chemical assays of the ore in April 1607. Hamilton was appointed Master of Mines and Metals in Scotland on 25 March 1607, and put in charge of crown revenue from gold and other mines . He
2700-694: The King of the continuing hopes for the "largeness and richness of the vein". Hamilton thought the ore ought to be processed in Scotland, rather than shipped elsewhere for refining. Rowland Whyte wrote about the assay of ore in London from the "great mine in Scotland" on 26 January 1608. Reports of the yield had resulted in "much hope and joy". Whyte said more royal commissioners were to set out for Scotland, and if all reports "prove true, his Majesty's empty coffers will be filled, and his great debts paid". The King's Council were asking London merchants for loans. On 29 January, in Edinburgh, Thomas Hamilton learnt that he
2790-662: The Mint Richard Martin volunteered to assay the Hilderston ore in June 1608. Sir William Bowyer visited in July and thought the vein was as impressive as anything he had seen in Germany. He would ship samples to England as ballast at a low cost. Bowyer was at the mine when the Earl of Dunbar visited on 1 August. He found a "clew" or hank of thread "of silver wire as though it had been drawn by
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2880-490: The Privy Council prevented mine workers absconding. A "miner, pick-man, windaisman (winch-handler), fire-man (furnace workers) or any workman" departing without written licence was liable to arrest. Secondly, "masterless vagabonds and sturdy beggars" could be taken and put to work. Thomas Hamilton had fielded some inquiries from King James about the mine in 1607 while Bulmer was still working for him. The current arrangement
2970-663: The United Free Church when it became known as St Bernard's United Free Church. Dean Street Congregation united with St Bernard's United Free Church in 1915. It became St Bernard's South at the Union in 1929 of the Church of Scotland and the United Free Church. The greater part of Dean Street Congregation formed a separate congregation in Queen Street Hall (later the BBC Headquarters) in 1861. The Queen Street Congregation moved to
3060-451: The area included the Linlithgow and East Falkirk (UK Parliament constituency) . The West Lothian question , referring to whether Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Irish MPs should be allowed to vote on English laws, is so named because it was supposedly first raised by Tam Dalyell while he was MP for West Lothian. The creation of the modern council area in 1975 drastically altered West Lothian's boundaries. Significant towns not included in
3150-399: The area was best known for its great tannery. This together with other industries colonised the lands which until recently were considered uneconomic to develop. No parts of it nor the old mills still exist but until the 1990s remnants did stand on both sides of West Silvermills Lane to the south of Silvermills House (c. 1760) built for Mr. Nicol Somerville. Mill lades serving the mills led from
3240-447: The assay of ore from the " mine d'Ecosse ", with the jaundiced observation that unprofitable silver mines were at least a public benefit by the creation of employment. A letter from Thomas Lake to the Earl of Salisbury of 11 March mentions that players had offended in the "matter of the mines". Subsequently, on account of this banned play and the Byron plays, Henry Evans gave up managing
3330-530: The assay of the Scottish ore in London, Thomas Russell secured a patent to make brimstone and copperas (in England) with the help of the Scottish courtier David Murray , a member of the house of Prince Henry . Murray subsequently invested in the copperas project. The Scottish Privy Council cancelled its act to return the keys of the mine buildings to Thomas Hamilton after the commission ran its course. Arnot formally declared that Hamilton had not made him possessor of
3420-409: The bottom of the work, nor to have [rather than have] meaned to any possession to your majesties miscontentment". He also denounced the underhand activities and "great malice" of Bevis Bulmer, who had tried to get neighbouring landholders to dispute Hamilton's title to the mine and had asked fellow commissioners and courtiers in London, "sum nobilmen at court", to write to the king to ensure that Hamilton
3510-673: The building from the Vestry Trustees in 1971, together with its rectory and church hall. The Trustees of the Commandery of Lochore of the Order of St Lazarus returned the church building to the Vestry Trustees in September 2019, having meanwhile sold the rectory and church hall. It continues as an incumbency within the Scottish Episcopal Diocese of Edinburgh. Services are held every Sunday morning and evening, and Thursday morning. To
3600-521: The burgh of Bo'ness and the district of Bo'ness to Falkirk District of Central Region , and the burgh of Queensferry and the district of Kirkliston plus part of Winchburgh to the Edinburgh district of Lothian Region. It gained East Calder and West Calder districts from Midlothian. The two-tier system was abolished by the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 , and the district of West Lothian
3690-559: The collier Sandy Maund had found a piece of heavy "red-mettle" veined with threads or hairs and a curious brown spar-stone near the Hilderston burn. He showed the rocks to a more knowledgeable friend, Robert Stewart (bailie of Linlithgow) saying, according to Atkinson, that he had found them in the "Silver burn" by Cairnpapple. He was advised to take them to Bevis Bulmer who was working at the Glengonner mines in Leadhills in Scotland. Bulmer found
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3780-464: The company and the theatre. The performance of the play (whether it referenced Hilderston directly or not) was after King James had begun the process to take the mine into his hands. Hamilton learnt of the King's direction that John Arnot, the depute-treasurer was now in charge by 29 January 1608 and described in his letter to James of 19 February 1608 the steps Arnot had taken on site. Hamilton's letters also reveal that Bevis Bulmer had widely publicised
3870-518: The corner of St Vincent Street was built in 1857 in English Gothic on a much smaller scale. Within is a fine display of modern European heraldry. There's an excellent guide book to describe the 150 or so achievements, shields, stained glass and flags. Between 1971 and 1996, it was the home of the Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem Grand Commandery of Lochore, which had bought
3960-460: The council area. The old county town was the royal burgh of Linlithgow , but the largest town (and the second-largest town in the Lothian region after Edinburgh) is now Livingston , where West Lothian Council has been based since 2009 having previously used facilities across three sites. Other large towns in the county include Bathgate (a town with medieval origins that developed extensively during
4050-412: The county are West Lothian Council and NHS Scotland . The Starlaw distillery is a Scotch whisky grain distillery at Bathgate that is owned by French drinks group La Martiniquaise . The distillery opened in 2010 and can produce 25 million litres annually and has 29 ageing warehouses (cellars) across 75 hectares at the distillery to allow for the maturation of over 600,000 barrels. Glenmorangie ,
4140-602: The five largest employment sectors in the council area were healthcare , construction , retail , manufacturing , and business administration and support services. While historically, mining and shale oil production were key employers in the region, as of 2014 they only accounted for 0.7% of persons employed in West Lothian. The ten largest private employers in West Lothian are Sky UK , Tesco , Mitsubishi Electric , IQVIA (formerly Quintiles/Q2 Solutions), Asda , Morrisons , Johnson & Johnson , Schuh , Jabil and Shin-Etsu Europe . The two largest public sector employers in
4230-417: The former Burgh Chambers of Bathgate Town Council (built in 1966) as its headquarters, extending the building in 1976 and renaming it Lindsay House. The district council retained the county buildings in Linlithgow as additional office space. In November 2009, the new unitary authority , West Lothian Council, centralised its services at the new West Lothian Civic Centre in Livingston . West Lothian
4320-513: The immediate vicinity is St. Stephen's Church in St Stephen's Place at the north end of St Vincent Street, built in 1827 for £18,975, on a design of vast scale, a mixture of Baroque and Grecian architecture by William Henry Playfair . Thomas Stevenson , father of Robert Louis Stevenson was a devout and regular attender here. The building is now known at the St Stephen's Centre and is privately owned. St Vincent's Scottish Episcopal Chapel on
4410-438: The industrial revolution) and the historic mining settlements of Armadale , Fauldhouse , Whitburn , West Calder , Uphall , and Broxburn . In 1975, as a result of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 , the boundaries of West Lothian were adjusted: the 1973 Act abolished the traditional counties and burghs, instead creating a system of Regions and Districts . West Lothian was made a district of Lothian Region but lost
4500-580: The land for the church was purchased by the City of Edinburgh from Mr. Lauder in 1822. Silvermills was incorporated into Edinburgh in 1809 by a Local Act of Parliament Extending the Royalty (49 Geo III Cap. xxi) passed 28 April. In 1835 architect George Smith erected St Stephen's School in St.Stephen's Street, which street was laid out in 1825. At the end of this street was a large skating rink designed in 1895 but converted into
4590-426: The large industrial operation could hardly have been a secret. Bulmer had been in charge at Hilderston for four months (April to August 1607), and could have kept Hamilton himself better informed. Hamilton had several times asked him to maximise the king's profit. Hamilton had also hoped that Bulmer would train up local people, also to the king's benefit. On 25 November, King James gave a commission to an official from
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#17328557278974680-423: The largest indoor shopping location in Scotland and the 10th largest in the UK. There are several large scale wind farms in West Lothian, predominantly in the south-west of the county, used to produce electricity across the region, including Pates Hill wind farm , Harburnhead wind farm, and Black Law wind farm. The main trunk roads in West Lothian are: Other principal A roads in West Lothian include
4770-467: The legal means to work the mine, at the instance of the Earl of Dunbar . Giustinian knew the mine had been discovered some years before. Giustinian and Boderie (in February) had realised that rumours of new-found wealth would help James raise a loan in the city. How the play may have mentioned mining, if the "matter of mines" referred to Scottish business, and the nature of the allusion to the king are unknown. Some scholars suggest that Boderie's mention of
4860-399: The mine and congratulating him on this windfall payment, and on the birth of a daughter, who he had christened Anna. Jane Drummond wrote; "I acquentit hir Maiesti with your gud luk; for the king no shuner gaive you mony for your mynd, bot God send you a chyld to bestow it on". Bevis Bulmer and his fellow commissioners delivered 38 barrels of ore to the Scottish Privy Council. A cargo of ore
4950-424: The mine at Hilderston for Hamilton and had made his "voluntary renunciation". Hamilton paid the miners' back wages. Hamilton stated that he was continuing the work at Hilderston to the king's benefit (the king received 10% and other benefits), although several miners had left due to an outbreak of plague. Bulmer had accused Hamilton of concealing the true value of his mine from the King, but Hamilton pointed out that
5040-410: The mine buildings were shipped from Leith to Bo'ness. Some timber was cut at nearby Carriber, the estate of the Gib family . The buildings were thatched with straw fixed with cords. The same straw was used for the mattresses for the English miners or melting house workmen. Dutch or German miners Martin Smedell and Hans Myar started two new shafts. One of the German miners Emanuel Hochstetter came from
5130-404: The mine, on 11 February, ten weeks after sending his commissioners north in November. On 14 March Hamilton made a statement to the Privy Council of England on the yield of the mine to date, three days after Lake's letter mentioned theatre censorship and the "matter of the mines". The Venetian ambassador Zorzi Giustinian had heard before Christmas 1607 that James had asked his council to find
5220-481: The mine, under the auspices of the Earl of Dunbar as Treasurer of Scotland , begin on 8 May 1608. On that day Bulmer "received full possession" from Hamilton, his workmen took over the drainage pumps, and on Wednesday his miners began work. Some extracts and quotations from the manuscript account books, which continue to 10 December 1610, were published in Gold Mynes in Scotland (1825) and by Robert William Cochran-Patrick in 1878. In May 1608 work commenced building
5310-413: The mine. He left the site to Hamilton's own management. By this witnessed "bond and deposition" Bulmer quit the works. On 17 and 18 August, equipment and mine buildings erected by Bevis Bulmer at the gold mines at Bailgilhead and Lang Cleuch near Wanlockhead were destroyed by saboteurs, possibly a hostile act against Thomas Hamilton, as Master of Mines and Metals. In September 1607 a general order from
5400-462: The mines at Keswick in Cumbria . In September 1608 a proclamation was issued that none should assist the skilled mine workers to leave Scotland. Three men were paid to pursue an English smith, John Spargus, who left the works without permission in September 1609. Miners who were injured or ill had sick pay at half the daily rate, including Henry Rice who was given £6 to return to Cornwall. One English worker, Emmanuel Turner, died at Hilderston after
5490-432: The modern county are the coastal burghs of Bo'ness and Queensferry and the town of Kirkliston . Large parts of the southern urban area of Livingston which were historically within Midlothian were, however, transferred to West Lothian. Largest settlements by population: 56,840 23,600 15,970 12,840 12,720 11,490 6,430 5,730 4,900 3,840 Cairnpapple Hill is a scheduled ancient monument and hill with
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#17328557278975580-414: The monarchs of Scotland in the 15th and 16th centuries and is the birthplace of Mary, Queen of Scots . It is now a visitor attraction in the care of Historic Environment Scotland . The House of the Binns is an early 17th century historic house and estate near Philpstoun . The house is the historic home of the Binn family whose owners included Sir Thomas Dalyell a Scottish Royalist general in
5670-487: The new profitable silver mine to London courtiers in order to eject Hamilton. Bulmer had access to court circles, his son-in-law, Patrick Murray , was a gentleman of the king's privy chamber (though still in education). The near-contemporary historian David Calderwood described the gestation of the mine's initially modest reputation over nine months, until the King was moved to send for Hamilton. In fact, James commanded Hamilton to come to London, bringing his charters for
5760-474: The north west, The Royal London Mutual Insurance Society offices on Henderson Row contain as a centrepiece the frontage of the old Edinburgh Tramway offices. The winding gear for this cable-operated tram is preserved on the east side of the office at the entrance to Silvermills at Henderson Place. To the north east and overlooking Silvermills lies St Bernard's House, a brick building constructed in 1987 by Lothian Homes Limited, with 46 private retirement flats and
5850-430: The older workings was shipped to Germany to be processed for nickel and barium . Stephen Atkinson wrote a historical overview of gold and silver mining in Scotland in 1619 as a prospectus for further investment. Some of his material is doubtful or obscure. He claims to have used Bevis Bulmer's papers and accounts. His history was published in 1825. Atkinson says that he worked for a while at Hilderston. He heard that
5940-442: The refining and stamping mills at Linlithgow Loch, close to the royal Linlithgow Palace , north of Hilderston and on the route to the port at Bo'ness . The smelting house chimney at Linlithgow was made of wood. A furnace for making assays on site had clay mufflers. Beds and a "langsaddle" bench were sent to furnish the headquarters at Hilderston from George Bruce's house, Culross Palace . Bulmer's chamber had two glass windows and
6030-542: The royal advocate Thomas Hamilton because "it was no way competent or proper in the person of a subject to possess" such a property. In 1613 Thomas Foulis obtained the contract for the mine with William Alexander of Menstrie and Paulo Pinto from Portugal. The treasurer-depute Gideon Murray reported on these works to King James in June 1614, writing that the mines had yielded silver, although not at profit, and James should choose payment of his tenth from William Alexander either in "metal" or refined siver. He advised taking
6120-400: The royal commission in all points. In early January the Privy Council of Scotland planned to assay the ore for themselves using the most "experimented men" in Scotland. The Chancellor of Scotland , the Earl of Dunfermline felt all the metallurgy was beyond his expertise, and "professed plain ignorance of all experience in these subterraneall works". Later in January, Thomas Hamilton wrote to
6210-437: The silver already refined in Scotland was the best option. The mine seems to have closed soon after. In the 1640s James Hope of Hopetoun negotiated with the Sandilands family for rights to the workings. Hope was haunted by an image in a dream of the potential riches as a tree of pure silver. In 1870 the mine was re-opened for investigation, no significant silver was found, and discarded nickeline or niccolite and baryta from
6300-484: The stones were rich silver ore. Atkinson's story thus credits his friend and employer Bulmer with the discovery. Atkinson himself joined the works at Hilderston (before August 1607, working for Hamilton and Bulmer). He sent a piece of ore from the "God's Blessing" shaft, apparently with threads of native silver , to his uncle in London. Atkinson claims that his uncle showed it to the Earl of Salisbury at Whitehall Palace who promised to tell King James about it. The silver
6390-407: The whisky distillers have offices and a bottling facility in Livingston that was opened in 2011. West Lothian has several shopping centres, the largest of which are located in Livingston, including 'The Centre' (comprising more than 1,000,000 square foot of retail space) and Livingston Designer Outlet (the largest outlet mall in Scotland). The combined retail spaces of central Livingston form
6480-417: The works, which required the deletion of another act of council, clearing the way for Bevis Bulmer to take charge of the project, and on 25 April he was appointed as "governor of the works of his majesty's mines under ground", or "first master and prefect supervisor of our mineral works" at Hilderston. George Bruce of Carnock was treasurer of the works and Archibald Primrose was clerk. The accounts for running
6570-491: The works. 55°55′33″N 3°37′00″W / 55.9259°N 3.6166°W / 55.9259; -3.6166 Hilderston is near Cairnpapple Hill in the Bathgate Hills. Contemporary descriptions of the silver ore seem to refer to native silver , mercury amalgams, arsenical content, and nickeline , found in "native silver bearing carbonate veins". Silver was discovered on lands at Hilderston in June 1606. The find
6660-472: Was able to use the Privy Council to browbeat other Linlithgowshire landowners, like James Ross of Wardlaw, who held Tartraven, just east of Hilderston and had refused to allow the miners on his land. Bulmer christened the shaft at Hilderston "God's Blessing". The partnership broke up. Bulmer wrote to Hamilton on 10 August 1607 that he was unable to pay the workmen at Hilderston, and Hamilton should take over
6750-465: Was apparent that the Hilderston ore was of varying quality. Work at the mine continued. In May 1611 King James assigned some of his income from "our silver mine beside Linlithgow" to the Earl of Tullibardine in recompense for money owed to his father William Murray of Tullibardine , who had been Comptroller of Scotland . The royal letter explained that the rights and duties of the mine had been acquired from
6840-491: Was associated with household of Anne of Denmark . Her ladies in waiting and chamberers were keenly interested in the industrial developments of mining and glass-making; Dorothy Silking tried to open a coal mine at Corston in 1609, and Elizabeth Roper became involved in the manufacture of glass. Lady Jane Drummond wrote to Thomas Hamilton in May 1608, mentioning that she had told the queen that King James had compensated him for
6930-421: Was attributed to a collier called Sandy Maund by another prospector Stephen Atkinson . The landowner was the King's Advocate, Sir Thomas Hamilton , who managed the initial mining works for a while. He had acquired the estates of West Binny and Orchardfield east of Hilderston in 1601 and these lands, including a former property of Robert Hamilton of Briggis , were made into a free Barony of Binny. The mine site
7020-857: Was completed by his sons John Adam and Robert Adam . Midhope Castle is a 16th-century tower house on the Hopetoun estate that was used as a location in the Outlander TV series on Starz as the main character, Jamie Fraser's family home called Lallybroch (Broch Tuarach). There are a variety of castles and other historic fortifications in West Lothian, including medieval mottes, tower houses and Renaissance laird's houses, as well as relatively modern castellated mansions. Examples include Cairns Castle , Duntarvie Castle , Midhope Castle and Staneyhill Tower . There are several public country parks in West Lothian, including Beecraigs Country Park (a 370 hectare park between Bathgate and Linlithgow with forests,
7110-422: Was disappointing. He hoped to find the rich silver seam in a new mine nearby in the future. West Lothian West Lothian ( Scots : Wast Lowden ; Scottish Gaelic : Lodainn an Iar ) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland , bordering (in a clockwise direction) the City of Edinburgh council area , Scottish Borders , South Lanarkshire , North Lanarkshire and Falkirk . The modern council area
7200-526: Was discovered in Europe". The French ambassador in London, Antoine Lefèvre de la Boderie , wrote of the increasing interest in the mine and the arrival of ore in London, on 27 February 1608. Boderie linked the profits with King James's continued interest in forming a full political union between England and Scotland with one Parliament. The silver would cement the two kingdoms. In London, in March or Lenten term 1608,
7290-416: Was displaced. John Arnot of Birswick, depute-treasurer, took possession of the mine on behalf of the King. He closed the shafts but continued draining the works. Hamilton wrote to the King again gracefully accepting his decision on 19 February. He apologised for any show of resistance to John Arnot at the end of January, which may have offended King James, "I should sooner have offered to have been buried in
7380-522: Was formed in 1975 when the historic county of West Lothian , also known as Linlithgowshire, was reshaped substantially as part of local government reforms; some areas that had formerly been part of Midlothian were added to a new West Lothian District within the Region of Lothian , whilst some areas in the north-west were transferred to the Falkirk District and areas in the north-east were transferred to
7470-490: Was like "the hair of a man's head or the grass in the field". It seems unlikely that this could have been the first notion at the royal court that the King's Advocate in Scotland had a working silver mine. Atkinson says he refined and tried the silver at Hilderston and at the Tower of London. He noted that similar looking rocks varied in silver content. By the time the Germans arrived, who he called "Brunswickers", in 1609, some ore
7560-512: Was located in a wing of the building called an "outshot". The accounts mention the building of a refining mill for silver at Leith, but this project seems to have been abandoned in favour of the site by Linlithgow Loch. English pick-men miners arrived from Cornwall and were lodged in the loft of the old melting house. Their names were recorded in the mining accounts, preserved at the National Records of Scotland . Timber and other materials for
7650-477: Was made into a unitary council area named West Lothian Council . West Lothian Council is the local authority for the West Lothian area and has 33 elected members. Councillors are generally elected every five years, with the next election falling in Spring 2027. The current council composition is: Following the abolition of West Lothian County Council in 1975, the new West Lothian District Council chose to use
7740-419: Was prohibited from continuing. Bevis Bulmer re-opened the mine. Samples of ore were sent to London for refining and assay. On 18 February, impatient to receive the next shipment of Scottish ore, the Earl of Salisbury wrote to the courtier Roger Aston , (a courtier who had managed a coal mine at Linlithgow ), his expectation that in a few months he could say "Scotland has yielded us the richest mine that ever
7830-431: Was shipped to London in February 1608 for assay. Robert Cecil presumed the assay of sample ore examined would "little vary" in the expected yield of many thousands of tons of ore. Zorzi Giustinian wrote of vain hopes of riches and exaggerated rumour. This talk would benefit King James as he was raising a loan. Zorzi Giustinian reported the results of an assay at the Tower in April. Amongst those involved or interested in
7920-459: Was sometimes called "Binnie". Hamilton obtained a specific "tack" to work mine and minerals in Linlithgowshire on 26 June 1606 (presumably after the silver discovery), and subsequently gained permission to "draw levels, waterways, sinks, conducts, shafts" and build "fire-works (furnaces), water works, dwelling houses" and cut peats and timber, to extract his Majesty's metals. Hamilton employed
8010-516: Was that the King received a tenth of the profit. Hamilton wrote in detail to King James about Bulmer and mining in Scotland on 12 September 1607. He had not recently sent any reports of Bulmer's other projects in Scotland. He felt that he had been "credulously induced" to place his own mine in Bulmer's management. Bulmer had been advertising in London the "exorbitant value" of the silver to be extracted. Bulmer did not have sufficient capital of his own to work
8100-460: Was the site of the discovery of a vein of silver in 1606 and a mining operation that attracted international interest. King James used rumours of a silver bonanza to leverage a loan in the City of London. He took over the mine works, an act sometimes regarded as an example of nationalization . The enterprise may have inspired a satirical stage play. On 8 May 1608 work commenced under royal supervision. Miners from Cornwall and Germany were employed in
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