Devon colliery pumping engine house

The building is the beam engine pumping house of the former Devon Colliery, built in 1864 by Neilson & Company of Glasgow. It is built of ashlar red sandstone with a hipped, grey slate roof, and is rectangular in plan. The cast iron pumping beam and cast iron girders of the pumping engine machinery survive in situ, with the beam passing through a large arched opening in the south wall. The beam is inscribed with a record of its origin, reading "No.189 / Neilson & Co. / Glasgow / 1864". Additional arched openings in the north, west and east walls house a variety of arched metal framed multi-pane windows, along with an arched doorway in the east wall providing access. Internally, a framework of cast iron beams provides support for the pumping beam, and a narrow turnpike stair in the northeast corner provides access to the upper areas. Two mezzanine floors have subsequently been inserted into the space to provide office accommodation during the conversion of the building.

Legal exclusions

In accordance with Section 1 (4A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 the following are excluded from the listing: late 20th century office interiors.

Historical development

The Devon Colliery beam engine house was first constructed in 1864, with the pumps fully installed and operational by 1879, when the colliery was reopened. The pump engine remained the primary means of water extraction for the colliery until a series of electric pumps and a steam turbine pump were installed to replace it in 1932, although the beam engine continued in occasional use to supplement the new pumps until the 1950s.