WANLOCKHEAD, a mining-village, in the parish
of Sanquhar, county of Dumfries, 6 miles (E.N. E.)
from the town of Sanquhar; containing about 840 inhabitants.
This place is situated at the eastern extremity
of the county, bordering on Lanarkshire, and upon
the small river Wanlock, from which it takes its name.
It appears to have had its origin in the discovery of
some valuable veins of lead-ore by Cornelius Hardskins,
a native of Germany, who, with 300 of his countrymen,
was, during the minority of James VI., employed by
the master of the English mint, under Queen Elizabeth,
in searching for gold among the hills in the immediate
vicinity. After gold had been found to the value of
£100,000, the works were discontinued as not remunerating
the expenses; but even within the last few years,
small quantities of gold have been discovered in the
bottoms of the glens, occurring in a granular form
among the rocks, mixed with sand and gravel. The
lead-mines, which are the property of the Duke of Biiccleuch,
were opened in the year 1680 by Sir James
Stampfield, and subsequently continued by Mr. Matthew
Wilson, who extended the workings from Whitcleuch to
theW^anlock river. In 17.55, Messrs. Ronald Crawford,
Meason, and Company entered upon the concern, which
they conducted with great spirit. This company erected
no less than five steam-engines for carrying off the
water, of the aggregate power of 268 horses; but the
expense of supplying the engines with coal, brought
from a distance of nearly twelve miles, so diminished
the profits, that the steam-engines were subsequently
replaced by a water-pressure engine, which answers the
purpose at a reduced cost. From the fall in the price
of lead in 18'29 and 1830, scarcely more than 1000 tons
were raised during those two years, though previously
the quantity had been large. The number of persons at
present employed is about "200, and they earn on an
average about £20 per annum each. The mines have
been worked by the proprietor, the Duke of Buccleuch,
since the year 1842. Wanlockhead is within a mile of
other works at Leadhills in the county of Lanark; it has
an elevation of nearly l.")00 feet al)ove the level of the
sea, and is inhabited chiefly by miners and others connected
with the lead-works. A subscription library has
been established, which now forms a collection of 2000
volumes. A chapel in connexion with the Established
Church is maintained for the accommodation of the inhabitants
by the Duke of Buccleuch, who defrays the
whole expenses, including the minister's stipend, and
pays the salary of the master of a school. There is also
a female school endowed by the noble proprietor. The
members of the Free Cliurch have a place of worshij).