Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland

Most people probably wouldn't have a mine on their treasured list, but they should think again. It wasn't that long ago that 1/5 of the population of the UK worked in mining! Now the Lady Victoria is the only one left in Scotland that people can see. Such a major part of our heritage should be recognised and indeed, enjoyed.

Lady Victoria Colliery is the last recognisable deep coal mine in Scotland, and is also the home of the Scottish Mining Museum, one of the best museums for a family outing in the UK. Between 1947 and 2003, over 300 deep coal mines were operated in Scotland by the National Coal Board, and at its height in the 1950s, the industry employed almost 150,000 people in Scotland. All these mines have now shut, and all Scotland's coal is produced by open-cast mines.

Coal was once a hugely important part of Scottish life. Forty years ago, almost all our energy (electricity, gas, steam and heat) was generated by coal, yet now it has almost entirely disappeared, the buildings of most mines having been erased from the landscape.

This makes Lady Victoria particularly special. As the last coherent reminder of the massive contribution of an industry and its workers to Scotland's industrial supremacy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, this truly is a treasured place.