Preston Island
Meaning of name | named after Sir Robert Preston |
---|---|
Location | |
OS grid reference | NT004856 |
Coordinates | 56°03′11″N 3°36′00″W / 56.053°N 3.600°W |
Physical geography | |
Island group | Islands of the Forth |
Highest elevation | <10 m |
Administration | |
Council area | Fife |
Country | Scotland |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Demographics | |
Population | 0 |
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Preston Island is a former artificial island in the Firth of Forth, Scotland. The reclaimed land was once used for salt production, using local coal. It is part of Fife.
History
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Preston_Island.jpg/220px-Preston_Island.jpg)
Preston Island, south of Low Valleyfield in the Firth of Forth, was reclaimed by Sir Robert Preston, 6th Baronet in the early 19th century.[1] A sea wall was constructed, followed by buildings and a coal mine, producing coal for the production of salt in saltpans on the island.[2][3]
Two further coal shafts were in development when a fatal firedamp explosion occurred in 1811, after which the mine was closed.[2][4]
Salt production continued for some decades, under lease from Preston.[3] The buildings later housed an illicit distillery.[1] Several well-maintained ruins remain.
The 'island' is no longer surrounded by water, following further land reclamation, using ash from the nearby Longannet power station.[2]
Footnotes
[edit]- ^ a b "Nature reserve on island". West Fife Villages. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
- ^ a b c "Preston Island". Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
- ^ a b Ewart, Gordon; Stewart, David; Dunn, Andrew (1996). "Preston Island: archaeological research and excavations" (PDF). Tayside and Fife Archaeological Journal. 2: 1.
- ^ Cunningham, Andrew (1902). "Extracts from Romantic Culross, Torryburn, Carnock, Cairneyhill, Saline and Pitfirrane". Scottish Mining Website. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
56°3′12″N 3°36′0″W / 56.05333°N 3.60000°W