THE COAL MINE IN THE SEA

The Coal Mine in the Sea: new findings on the remarkable history of the Moat Pit at Culross and Culross Colliery 1575 – 1676

In 1590 George Bruce, later Sir George Bruce of Carnock, built a stone tower out in the waters of the Firth of Forth, south of the village of Culross in Fife. Within the Tower he sank a shaft 40ft to the coal seam below. A sister shaft on shore was built to drain the undersea workings using a horse powered ‘Egyptian Wheel’. It was said the workings extended a mile under the sea and the drainage shaft to a depth of 240 ft.

Archaeologist Dr Donald Adamson and former mining consultant Robert Yates will explain how and why the Moat Pit and the rest of the Culross Colliery complex was built at Culross.

This event will be held in the Canmore Room.