The Meadowfoot (Queensberry) Smelter

The Meadowfoot Smelter was built in 1845, at the same time as the Dressing Plant, to replace the one at Pates Knowe. It was the most up to date processing plant of its time. The ingredients of lead ore, coal, peat, lime for flux and an air blast were brought together in one hearth. The Meadowfoot smelter was unique in that the flues were lined with wood and not stone or brick, as was the usual practice. The flues wind along and up the hillside and their remains are of considerable interest – the ‘Woodhenge of the Industrial Revolution’. The gases fro the ore hearths carried a lot of valuable lead. This was later condensed out on its long journey along the flues which were cleaned out regularly when the lead oxide was recovered and resmelted.