Arran Area

A small area of coal measures, which outcrops at Cock of Arran near the northern tip of the Isle of Arran, was worked by the Hamilton family from 1710 to 1735. Shallow shafts were sunk to the coal, which was used to heat a saltpan.

The industry was established using workers from the family’s saltpans in Bo’ness on the Firth of Forth.

The coal occurs in the limestone Coal Formation of the Namurian series.