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Birsley Brae is a medieval coal mine in East Lothian, Scotland, protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM3352. The site exploits coal seams within the Clackmannan Group, a sequence of sedimentary rocks formed during the Westphalian period of the Carboniferous era, which underlies this part of East Lothian and contains workable coal deposits.
Medieval coal extraction in Scotland was concentrated in areas where coal seams lay close to the surface or outcropped naturally in accessible locations. The Clackmannan Group rocks in this region provided the geological conditions necessary for small-scale mining operations that supplied local fuel demands before large-scale industrial coalfields were developed.
The monument preserves evidence of early Scottish coal working at a time when wood and peat remained the primary fuel sources for most communities. Birsley Brae represents the transition period when mining began to supplement these traditional fuels, particularly for industries such as salt boiling and iron working that required sustained heat. The site's survival reflects the enduring importance of this area's coal resources to the local economy across centuries.
Birsley Brae,medieval coal mine is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM3352. View the official record →
Birsley Brae is a medieval coal mine in East Lothian, Scotland, protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM3352.
Birsley Brae,medieval coal mine dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a medieval coal mine. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Birsley Brae,medieval coal mine is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic Environment Scotland — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Scotland. The official designation reference is SM3352.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Preston Mains,enclosure (7.7 km), Lawfield,enclosure 500m E of (8 km), Lawfield Wood,fort (8 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Birsley Brae,medieval coal mine's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Birsley Brae,medieval coal mine stands on Clackmannan Group, bedrock that formed in the Westphalian. The rock here is sedimentary rock cycles, clackmannan group type.