Sanquhar born William Herbert and his partner Robert McWhirr secured a 10 year lease in 1826, from the trustess of the Afton estate and began to develop the coal-field in the vicinity of Straid Farm, on the main route between New Cumnock and Dalmellington [6]. The partnership was dissolved in 1838 and Herbert continued to operate on his own. Business took a turn for the better in 1847 with the establishment of the Nithsdale Iron Works, by a Durham based firm, on the Connel Burn, a mile or so to the east. A light rail track was built from Straid to the Ironworks to transport the coal. As well as coal, a three feet band of clay was also worked at Straid, and the Ironworks company brought contacts from Durham to erect kilns and sell the bricks and tiles. [7].

The Straid Brickworks was situated a few hundred yards across the road from Straid Farm on the far bank of the narrow Redhall Burn, the burn perhaps taking it's name from a drying shed built of red brick . In the 1851 Census, William Herbert, Coal Agent, aged 63 his wife, and grandaughter are found in Straid Cottage, with their lodger, 19 year old Englishman George Clennel, the Manager of the Brick Works. Their neighbours each with an address of Straid Brickworks were John Reid, engine keeper and his family and their lodger Peter Fox, brick maker from Ireland, while next door were James Gilchrist, coal miner and his family. Another employee at these works perhaps was Englishman and tile-maker 25 year old Thomas Calvert, who had taken a New Cumnock lass as his wife and lived at Afton Bridgend.

In the same census John Lennox, aged 25, of Greenhill farm is reocrded as a Brick and Tile manufacturer, and he may have been a member of the Lennox family that farmed Straid in the 1840's.  
 
The Iron Works failed in 1855 and although the Straid Brick Works had been a success it was closed and attention turned to the parent company at Shotley Bridge in County Durham [7].

There is little to see at the site now other than grassed over humps and bumps, situated at the terminus of the raised turf bank that once carried the railtrack. 

Thank you to Mr. Young of Straid Farm, for allowing me to survey the site.