Photo: From 1790, the Quendale Copper Mine as it looks today

Naturally, this single report can raise eyebrows and give questions about Shetland’s mining history. The unlikelihood of a small North Atlantic group of islands being given such recognition is surprising, but the story behind this fact contains elements of rivalry, power, ignorance and years of blind investments leaving scars of disappointment in its wake.

Roots –
It is difficult to point out exactly when Shetland’s mining history began. As early inhabitants crossed the hills and walked the shores of Shetland, they learned about rocks and stones, where these could be found and how these could be useful. One of Shetland’s earliest mining remain is a small quarry of fine-grained volcanic rock called felsite, at the Beorgs of Uyea on the northern end of Ronas Hill, and was used by early Shetlanders needing material for making the unique Shetland knife.

Found just south of Cunningsburgh, the Catpund Quarry is an ancient soapstone or steatite quarry. This area can be dated from Neolithic times (5000 B.C.) and irregularly quarried up into post-medieval times. Signs of people having chiseled-out bowls, flat baking plates, lamps or other useful tools and implements can still be found in this easily carved rock along the burn and hillsides.

The Sandlodge Mine –
In the summer of 1789, Alexander Crighton apparently visited Shetland and searched for copper and iron deposits, being the first to commercially start exploiting these. Returning to London that coming winter, he entered into mining leases with Arthur Nicolsen Esq. of Cunningsburgh, Quendale owner Andrew Grieson and the first John Bruce Esq. of Sumburgh, laird of Dunrossness and owner of the Sandlodge mansion.

Having little experience in mining, Crighton contracted Welsh miners from the Anglesey Mining Co. sending them to Shetland. Between 1790 and 1799, they sporadically worked the copper/ iron mines at Fladdabister, Quendale and Sandlodge.

For Crighton, the Fladdabister workings proved disappointing. Apparently having lost financial backing and breaching his contract with John Bruce, Crighton was forced to relinquish his Sandlodge mining lease at the end of the 18th century. Thereafter, he stubbornly, but unprofitably, continued working the Quendale mine. Misfortune followed and he eventually disappeared from Shetland.

Passing by Crighton’s Quendale Mine in 1822, Samuel Hibbert wrote, “This mass was unsuccessfully wrought a few years ago by a mining company, for the purpose of finding copper ore, whilst many hundred tons of iron-pyrites were thrown into the sea.”

Also from London, Robert Redman, focused his mining interests to Sandlodge, in 1800. As owner of the Shetland Mining Company, Redman fought against rising water filling the shafts, unskilled labor, poor quality ore and financial difficulties. For operational purposes, the company leased the Grieves House, the East Wing and parts of the West Wing of Sandlodge manse. To better oversee the work, Redman temporarily lived there with his wife and daughters.

Photo: Sandlodge Mansion as it looks today

But, the problems that arose and the intensity of the project drove Redman into a personal and financial crisis. In an undated letter to John Bruce, Redman wrote painfully, “Uncomfortable and useless as I now am…it will answer very little purpose…returning to the scene of my distress.”

March 8, 1804, with a revitalized effort, new shareholders and £3000 of fresh capital, The “New” Shetland Mining Co. was formed. With this reconstruction, additional investments in machinery were made, new shafts were sunk but previous problems prevailed. At or before 1808, liquidation was again paramount.

Interest in the Sandlodge mines was bleak thereafter. In 1828, Michael Linning of the Scottish National Mining Co. rekindled some interest in the mines, but nothing ever became of this. The abandoned mineshafts lay water filled until early 1870’s, when John Walker made his entry.

According to accounts with John Bruce Jr., John Walker started shipping Sandlodge ore in 1873. He had reopened the shafts making heavy investments in new machinery, buildings and employing men. Compared to earlier mining attempts, Walker drove a stubborn and determined mining operation, delivering some 10,000 tons of crushed and washed ore to the mainland. Many of these shipments were not of copper, but of iron, or hematite.

Walker’s Sumburgh Mining Company Ltd. was also plagued with problems. Poor quality ore, shipwrecks, unskilled local workers, accidents, labor protests and questionable accounting practices eventually drove the company into liquidation. Walker’s own personal bankruptcy came in 1882.
Perhaps hoping that the mine would someday continue with renewed interests, John Bruce Jr. purchased the remaining machinery left after Walker’s bankruptcy.

This machinery was obviously obsolete when The Shetland Exploration Syndicate negotiated with Bruce to re-open the mines in 1907, though this venture didn’t amount to any committed work until a subordinate company, called The Sand Lodge Mine Ltd., was formed approximately 1921.

Up and running again! Working the old shafts again commenced but, because of problems in raising adequate capital from shareholders and an unexpectedly negative and unbiased geological report, mining operations at Sandlodge ceased abruptly. At its closing in 1929, the East Mineshaft at Sandlodge was 275 ft. (84 mt.) deep and the mine itself was sealed with a thick cap of cement in 1931.

The Levenwick Mine –
Found along the shores near Levenwick, much is still unknown about this iron mine. What is known is that, in 1803, Robert Bruce of Symbister was eager to get into the mining business and borrowed workers from the Sandlodge mine. Along the shores near Levenwick, the miners dug an adit, a horizontal mine shaft, that followed a vein of iron and used boats to bring supplies and take away any ore. But, with two hundred years of abandonment, the risk of cave-ins prevents any further studies at this time.

Photo: Now water-filled, first mineshaft of Setter from 1890

The Setter Mine –
Between 1890-1892, a group of Shetland men started to mine copper at Setter, about a mile north of Sandlodge. Having apparent experience from mining in America, these men first dug a shaft very close to the shoreline. As incoming water became a constant problem, a new shaft was driven some 50 yards away on higher ground. A winching tower and a small building was constructed. The men dug an 80 ft. shaft, planning to connect an adit with the first shaft, but for some reason the work stopped and the mine was abandoned.

As a note, these men were possibly responsible for the iron/copper trial works that can be found in the vicinity of the ancient Catpund quarry in Cunningsburgh and which was worked near the end of the 19th century.

The Fair Isle Copper Mine –
Interest for a copper vein on Fair Isle came as early as 1806, when a John Goldsworthy wrote, “It is a copper load…one of the most flattering that ever I heard of.” After his report, the extent of working this copper vein is uncertain, but renewed interest in Fair Isle copper came much later.

On June 8, 1912, The Shetland Times reports that Dr. Guy O. Conning, The Royal School of Mines in London, had “…14 experienced miners at work…15 tons in 3 days,” but three weeks later writes, ”Reports exaggerated…(the supervisor) nearer the Klondike of America…far away from the Klondike of the Shetlands.” However, copper was mined at North Naaversgill at the end of WW I. As time passed, the works became too dangerous to continue and the Fair Isle copper mine was abandoned.

Photo: Remains of chromate crusher at Hagdale Horse Mill, Baltasound

The Chromate Quarries –
To be sure, Unst and Fetlar’s mineral deposits are not to be forgotten. Already with George Low’s travels in 1772, these island’s soapstone, known as “claber” or “klebber” in the Shetland dialect, and iron deposits were first mentioned, although no commercial mining of these developed until the first half of the 19th century.

“Hiterto, I have only diverted myself sawing and polishing some letter presses..,” as George Leask described his very small business adventure using the soapstone found on Unst, July 1861. Since then, Leask’s timid enterprise eventually developed into considerable quarrying of chromate, first used to set dyes in fabrics and, later during WWI, a vital component in the production of a new product called…stainless steel.

A Legacy –
As work progresses in rediscovering Shetland’s mining history, other mining areas that are of historical interest are at Scousburgh (iron), Hoswick (iron), Hillswick (ancient steatite), Clothister (iron), Wick of Shunni (copper) and perhaps others that have been forgotten.

Today, Shetland’s older mines have left a legacy for Shetlanders and visitors to learn from and be proud of. What was for some only “scars of disappointment”, are today an important inheritance and a part of Shetland’s identity.

Note: This article was first published in The New Shetlander/ Summer 09. Tim Senften ©
Work continues! All references from the Shetland Archives. Pay them a rewarding visit. Thanks archive people!

Since this is only a blog, I don’t intend to follow research procedures in defense of content. This will come later in a peer-reviewed work. With small bits and pieces, my intentions are to excite readers about early Shetland mines, to learn a little about mining history and perhaps about their background; their own identity…their own heritage.

People ask me, “Why older mines?” I’m not really sure. I just want answers to my questions. For each question I answer, I get even more questions. And, so it keeps rolling on and on.

Shetland’s Mines-
From the very first people arriving on the shores of Shetland, a need for the island’s rocks and minerals are apparent. As these people wandered over the hills and the land, they made observations of rocks and stones and skillfully learned where useful types could be found. When needed for any purpose, people went to these deposits and gathered what they needed. Rocks and stones were close by; at hand when needed.

One example of this is the need for shelter. The archeological excavation of Old Scatness is a great example of early people using Shetland rocks for dwellings. Another example is the need to keep warm. For whatever fuel was used, fires needed a spark. Shetland doesn’t have natural flint and ancient people learned that quartz could produce sparks and could start fires. And a third example is early Shetlanders needing household tools or implements for daily living.

Photo: The ancient Catpund Quarry, Shetland. This is a scheduled area-please respect this.

The Catpund Quarry-
Because of need and simple knowledge of rocks and geology, primitive Shetland people used what was available and knew where to find it. The Catpund Quarry is an example of where people over many years have exploited the serpentine, or soapstone, of Shetland to chisel out bowls, ladles, plates or decorative figurines for themselves or to barter and exchange with. Knowing that soapstone holds heat and is easily formed, it was a valuable commodity thousands of years ago.

At one time, this quarry was of interest for Robert Hunter Wingate Bruce up to 1924 and eventually for The Sumburgh Mining Co., apparently up to and around the early 1970’s. In accordance with the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act of 1979, the Catpund area was registered in the General Register of Sasines, counties of Orkney and Zetland October 28, 1988 (Ref. Historic Scotland) and was soon excavated afterward. (Uh oh! There I went and put in some researchy stuff! Sorry!)

Supposedly, there’s to be a book, or something, coming soon. With this, we will just have to wait and see. But, it is tempting to wonder just how many more of these ancient quarries can be found in Shetland and where?

For myself, I got an enormous thrill seeing this quarry for the first time. Having only seen mining remnants as early as the 17th century, Catpund gave the possibility of observing a quarry that is over 3000 years old and worked at different times; independent of each other.

Please give this place a visit or two. If traveling out of Lerwick, south on A970 and having passed through Cunningsburgh, estimate about 1 kilometer from the point of leaving Cunnigsburgh. On your right, you should see the “old” asphalted road. Park here and near the burn/bridge that can be found. Follow the burn immediately up the hill from your parked car, respecting the fencing and minding your step. About 250 meters, and along the burn, you should see a small fenced-off area. This is the Catpund Quarry. (Ordnance Survey Map 466- maps are fun) Clothes and shoes appropriate for the outdoors.

REMEMBER: This is a protected and scheduled area. Do Not Disturb…anything! Treat it like a crime scene. Much more must be learned from it. Just observe and enjoy.

For fun, ask yourselves these questions…

How much of the stone has been removed out of the earth over the years?
How big of an area all around was used?
What tools did people use to chisel out bowls, plates etc.?
How many unfinished implements can still be found waiting for its owner to return?
What was the work like? Did they work in groups? Alone? Were children along?
What have I learned from my visit? Did I enjoy it? Will I have use of this knowledge someday in the future?

Whew! Now, a couple of pictures from Catpund Quarry…for the less energetic!
Photo: Panoramic view of Catpund Quarry area. In foreground dwellings possibly from Middle Ages
Photo: Thousands of years ago, people chiseled out useful implements leaving shadows of these in the soapstone at Catpund Quarry