West Calder

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West Calder



OS grid reference:	NT019632



Population:	5,370 [1]



Council area:	West Lothian
Constituent country:	Scotland
Sovereign state:	United Kingdom

Police force:	Lothian and Borders
Lieutenancy area:	West Lothian

Post town:	Livingston
Postal:	EH55
Telephone:	01506


Scottish Parliament:	Labour
UK Parliament:	Labour
European Parliament:	Scotland

1 The Village
2 Architecture
3 Burngrange Pit Disaster
4 Old Historical Account
5 Notable
6 External Reference

[edit] The Village

West Calder is a village in West Lothian, Scotland, located 16 miles (26 km) southwest of Edinburgh in the old county of Midlothian. The village was an important centre for the oil-shale economy in the 19th and 20th Centuries.

[edit] Architecture

Most housing in the village dates from the mid-20th century, though it has a public library built as early as 1903. Funded by Carnegie money this building represents a fine example of the Art Nouveau style and has a decorative interior. The parish church (1643) was abandoned in 1880 and is now roofless.

[edit] Burngrange Pit Disaster

A memorial in the centre of the village remembers the fifteen men killed on the 10th January 1947 as a the result of an explosion at the Burngrange oil-shale mine southwest of the village.

[edit] Old Historical Account

I have much pleasure in presenting your readers with a copy of the Old Statistical Account of West Calder, written in 1796 by the Rev. John Muckersy, the then young and talented minister of the parish, who afterwards received the title of D.D., and is still remembered by old residenters as “Dr Muckersy, a clever wee body.” A good many anecdotes are still told of the Doctor, and he was just the type of men Dean Ramsay was so fond of. When he came to the parish there was no dissenting place of worship in it, but his presentation was somewhat stoutly resented, and the Seceders thereby increasingly, he saw the first dissenting chapel (the old U.P.) erected in the parish. Still the Doctor was not a man of mean or narrow spirit, for he seems to have been on the very best of terms with at least one of the Seceding ministers of West Calder, viz, the late Rev. Mr Fleming, with whom, I am told, he frequently exchanged visits, and they had many a chat and spent many a social hour together. This well-known friendship combined with the natural jealousy of sectarianism, and the native dry humour of Scottish wit, gave rise to the following dialogue, which actually took place in West Calder one Sunday who happened to be returning from their several places of worship-the one being a Seceder and the other a member of the Auld Kirk.

A. K. MEMBER-Weel, John, hae ye been to yer kirk?

SECEDER-Deed have I, sir, and heard a grand sermon.

A. K. MEMBER-And, if it’s a fair question, may I ask what your minister (Fleming) was on the day?

SECEDER-Well, well, sir, if it will dae ye ony guid, he was on the epistle to the Hebrews. It was first-rate sermon, and the first o’ a new course.

A. K. MEMBER-John, I’m rale gled to hear’t. I’m sure they’ll be uncommon sermons, for oor minister (Muckersy), just finished them last Sunday!

The subject matter was simply a co-incident , but the Doctor having heard of it, used to tell the tale with great glee to the last of his days, and amongst others to the young minister, who afterwards turned out to be his successor, from whose lips I heard it. But now for the statistical account, which I trust you will give to your readers in full, as it falls to the lot of very few to have access to the original document.

Sinclair’s Statistical Account of Scotland, 1796 A.D., Vol. 18, No. IX., p.p. 190.-Parish of West Calder, County of Mid-Lothian, by the Rev. Mr Muckersy : The parish of West Calder lies in the county of Mid-Lothian, in the presbytery of Linlithgow, and in the synod of Lothian and Tweeddale. The average breadth is about 5 ½ miles, and the length 10 miles. It is bounded on the south by the Cairn Hills, and on the north by the Briech Water, which falls into the Almond at the north-east point of the parish. The southern part which lies contiguous to the parishes of Dunsyre and Carnwath, consist of high Moorish grounds, interspersed with morasses of considerable extent. These grounds, for the most part incapable of cultivation, are parcelled out into sheep farms. The arable parts of this parish vary considerably in their value, either from the degree of improvement or their local situation, but the soil of the whole parish is of a black, mossy earth, or a wet clay, both in a tile bottom. The height above the sea is from 400 to 700 feet, and, from this circumstance, joined to the neighbourhood of Cairn Hills, this parish is exposed to considerable degrees of cold and moisture. The chief storms of wind and rain are from the south and south-west. AGRICULTURAL PROSPECTS

The mode of agriculture most generally practised in all probability have been nearly the same since any part of this parish was cultivated. Hence, agriculture, except in those instances where the common method is departed from, is in its simplest and rudest state. The whole process consists of spreading dung on lee, allowing it lie for some time on the surface, and then taking three of four crops of oats. After this, the field lies three or four years in grass, and the process begins again. In place of sung, the middle of a high ridge is sometimes opened with a plough, and the furrow mixed with lime and spread on the surface. It is somewhat astonishing that notwithstanding this mode of agriculture, the farmer frequently reaps apparently luxurious crops, and perhaps the only probable way of accounting for it is, that in many instances the crop is not sufficiently ripe to exhaust the manure. The farmers here have discovered that lime acts as a powerful solvent on all kinds of mossy earth, and they have applied the discovery with great success to the process of agriculture. The spirit of improvement has now begun to reach this place. The soil in many places has been by some of the intelligent proprietors ameliorated by enclosing with double rows of hedges and ditches, leaving a considerable space between to be filled up with young trees adapted to the climate. This has served the double purpose of enriching the soil and rendering the appearance of the country more beautiful. One proprietor, in particular, has improved his grounds on the best principles of agriculture, and he has succeeded in raising turnips, and a proper rotation of crops. Oats, potatoes, flax, barley, peas, and turnips are raised in this parish.. The grain most attended to its oats, the average produce of which may be between 4 ½ to 5 bolls an acre. When the ground happens to be laid down with grass seeds, the prevailing crop is rye grass. Of this there are two kinds-annual and perennial. The former gives a double quantity of grass the first year, which is thought in most cases to compensate the continuance of the other. A considerable quantity of rye grass is preserved, and beside what is sufficient for next year’s sowing, there are frequently, in good years, from 300 to 400 bolls sold out of the parish. There are considerably more horses reared than supply the wants of agriculture, and the rent is most commonly paid from the sale of the cattle. The high grounds in the south and west of the parish are divided into fifteen sheep farms, and it is conjectured that the whole lands employed in this manner may maintain about 6000 sheep. The ploughing is mostly carried on by two horses, and “Small’s” plough has been introduced; while at the same time a great many of the old farmers regret the disuse of the old Scots plough and a greater number of horses, and affirm that their soil requires a deep and large furrow. It is scarcely possible to make any conjecture with respect to the rent of arable ground, because the greater number of farms have some out field or moss or moor connected with them. Were it is otherwise, perhaps the ordinary rate of arable ground would be 12s. to 20s. per acre. The size of the farms is scarcely in any instance greater than necessary to support a family, and almost every attempt to accumulate this kind of property has brought ruin on the projector. CHARACTER AND MANNERS OF THE PEOPLE

In almost every instance the local situations of men form their characters. The inhabitants of this parish are much excluded from the commerce of the world, and nearly all on a level with regard to each other. Their attention is directed to few objects, and hence they are simple and unaffected in their manners; while they possess a wonderful degree of sagacity and acuteness in everything connected with the circle of their pursuits. From the great number of small farms, every individual may look forward to an establishment in life; and hence his attention to business and industry is excited. In this state of society, it must be confessed, there is little scope for ambition which impels a man to rise above his humble sphere; but this situation supposes contentment and happiness. From this circumstance, too, it may be mentioned , as a character of the people, that the advantages which they cannot secure to themselves they wish to convey to their children; and it has been observed, that a great number have been designed for the church than perhaps any ten parishes of equal extent in a highly cultivated country and in a given time. The great bulk of the inhabitants of this parish have a considerable share of religious knowledge, and a becoming fervency in their devotion. It is hoped that they will not be charged with singularity of manners when we mention that there are perhaps not six families in this parish who do not daily and in a family capacity assemble together to acknowledge the Author of their mercies. Altogether detached from the capital they are unaware of its vices. Drunkenness and debauchery of all sorts are scarcely known; and there are very few instances of men continuing unmarried who have the means to support a family. This parish has been particularly blamed with disaffection to the present constitution. From the state of society of which they are placed, the representation of any kind of oppression, whether real or imaginary, is apt to affect their minds. This, however, is but a momentary impulse; for when they find that the chief articles of life by which they are supported are not subject to taxation, and that what they bring to the market is raised in its value by the very system of which they are taught to complain, the good sense of the parish is soon brought to prevail over the designs of those who would mislead them. In continuing the Old Statistical Account of West Calder in 1796, we next come upon the population table, which is at once a curious, antiquated, and interesting document.

Families. Souls. Under 9 Years Males. Females. Seceders. Heritors, .. .. 11 70 1 31 38 26 Farmers, .. .. 65 406 66 185 155 163 Cottagers, .. .. 25 107 29 40 38 24 Day Labourers .. 26 102 30 34 38 21 Widows, .. .. 40 67 3 6 58 7 Smiths, .. .. 3 14 2 6 6 11 Coopers, 2 6 2 3 1 4 Innkeepers, .. 1 5 0 3 2 - Flax Dressers, .. 1 5 3 1 1 - Wrights and Masons, 7 33 8 14 11 20 Weavers, .. .. 8 32 5 15 12 5 Curriers, .. .. 6 17 - 8 9 9 Shoemakers, .. 7 29 6 12 11 18 Millers, .. .. 3 10 3 4 3 - Tailors, .. .. 4 18 4 9 5 6 Schoolmaster, .. .. 1 4 2 1 1 - Minister, .. .. 1 8 2 2 4 - Not included in above table, .. .. 10 35 3 15 17 7 221 968 169 389 410 321

From the above table of population it appears that the average number to a family is 4 and near 4-16, and that the males and females are as 16 to 17. In account of the Seceders none are returned under 9 years of age.* Of the Seceders 142 are Antiburgers, 169 Burgers, 7 connected with the Presbytery of Relief, and 3 are Cameronians. The causes of separation from the Established Church have been extremely various in this parish. In consequence of the last settlement from forty to fifty persons have joined the Secession. Of those separated from the church for the last ten years before this period, the strictness of church discipline seems to have been the chief cause.