Birnyhill farm near Bathgate EH48

Birnyhill Farm was Once situated just outside of present day Bathgate on the Boghead estate. The actual Farm itself sat just a few yards to the South West of where the present day Birniehill housing scheme is today. Many locals may remember the site better as the abattoir it was for many years until its recent closure.

Birnyhill Farm On the Boghead Estate

The History of Birnyhill Farm

Birnyhill was just One of many of the small single tenant farmsteads that were situated upon the Boghead estate. Boghead estate, owned by Thomas Durham Weir was host to many enterprising schemes, including the Durhamtoun Chemical works nearby. This was of course the very place where Paraffin and Petroleum were discovered by the Glasgow Chemist James Young. He discovered that by heating Shale in a closed retort to a high temperature, he could extract the shale oil from it. From there, he distilled this crude oil into a more refined, Paraffin which was great for lamps as well as for Medicinal use. Then later Petroleum that became the common fuel for cars.