Village

Wanlockhead is located in beautiful South West Scotland in the Lowther Hills and is the highest village in Scotland at 1531ft. (463m) above sea level. It lies 30 miles North of Dumfries and owes its existence to the mineral deposits in the surrounding hills. Today it can be easily accessed by either the M74 or the A76, via the scenic Mennock Pass.

Village History

Although there is no documentary evidence, it is likely that the Romans mined lead ore in the area, since lead was an important material in Roman plumbing.

The Monks of Newbattle Abbey mined lead ore in the vicinity in the middle ages, when lead became an important material used for roofing and plumbing in castles, monasteries and churches.

In the beginning of the 18th century development of lead mining on a commercial basis first took place when the London Quaker Company opened mines at Wanlockhead. Until this time there had been no permanent habitation in the hills, so it can be said that the villages of Leadhills and Wanlockhead owe their existence to the lead industry

'God's Treasure House in Scotland'

In the 19th century the Reverend Porteous coined the phrase 'God's Treasure House' to describe the area. At different periods the minerals Galena and Sphalerite were extracted to provide lead and zinc. Silver was recovered as a by-product of the smelting process and gold was recovered from the local streams. However it is primarily the mining and processing of lead ores that has shaped the valley of the Wanlock and the village of Wanlockhead.

In 1876 Porteous wrote that there were 274 men and boys employed in mining in Wanlockhead and in addition to mining, some also had shops and were butchers, tailors or cloggers. The village had a doctor who was supported by the Duke of Buccleuch and all that each workman had to pay was 4/- (shillings) each year for medical care. There was a good school and a schoolmaster's house and those miners with children were only required to pay a nominal fee for their children's education.

Wanlockhead Today

The first miners were gold prospectors and lived in tents through the summer months, but it was impossible to stay in the winter because of the severe weather conditions.

The population in 2001 is 158 of which 26 are children. Almost half of the villagers are pensioners and one third of the properties here are only used for holiday homes.

Wanlockhead is still considered very rural and occasionally in the winter, snow can still close the roads, completely isolating the village from the rest of Scotland and the World! There is an abundance of fresh air and weather permitting there are many local walks to suit all levels of walker. The views from the top of the hills down through the valleys and glens are breathtaking and well worth any effort in getting to the summit.