Glass Works Cave

Glass Cave (Closed)

Last century there was a large cave on the west side of the Michael Colliery named the Glass Cave.
In 1610, Sir George Hay, Lord Clerk to the Registrar and later Lord Kinnoul, established a glassworks in this cave. This was one of the earliest glassworks in Scotland. The work carried on at a considerable loss as the demand was not particularly heavy.
1619 Privy Council report to James VI: ‘Income for glass for a year would not meet one month’s bill at the works’.
1691 Works still active.

1698 David, Second Earl of Wemyss obtained an Act of Parliament to make certain kinds of glass.

1790 Mr Gibb, who was the Parish Minister, wrote, “This cave is 200 feet (60 metres) in length, 100 feet (30 metres) broad and about 30 feet (9 metres) in height. A tackman for glassworks fitted it up about 60 years ago. Soon after work commenced, the man became bankrupt and the buildings were allowed to go into ruin.
1898 the Michael Colliery shafts were sunk a little to the east of the Cave. In the course of time the upper seams of coal were worked under the Cave and on an evening in 1901 the Cave collapsed and is now filled in with red from the colliery.
Cattle often used the cave as a shelter from the sun. It is also said to have had a chimney in the centre of the roof. The last hole of the Wemyss Golf Course lay at one of the entrances. A blocked up entrance can still be seen beside the Coastal Path, which passes through the site of the old Michael Colliery.