Geograph - photograph every grid square

The Banton ironstone field had been exploited in a small way from as early as 1760 states local historian Bill Gracie in his 'History of Banton' (pub. by Banton & Kelvinhead Community council, 1995). Here can be seen a waste bing from the workings further up the hill. The ore was mixed with coal, heaped up and burnt here in smoking piles to drive off the carbonic acid gas, sulphur and other impurities before being hauled on the horse driven tramway to the Forth & Clyde canal at Kelvinhead.