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Agates form Heddle’s greatest and most beautiful collection. As a scientist Heddle studied the processes that formed agates and published two papers on the subject.
Agate from Blue Hole near Montrose.
Pale pink agate from Ballindean. Note the stalactites and banding.
Flame agate from Ballindean.
Spotty agate from Ballindean.
Landscape agate from Blue Hole near Montrose.
Agate from Burn Anne, Ayrshire.
Agate from Blue Hole near Montrose.
Partridge agate from Burn Anne, Ayrshire.
Banded agate from Ballindean.
Tooth-like agate from Blue Hole near Montrose.
Landscape agate from Blue Hole near Montrose.
Banded agate from Middlefield.
Everything about Heddle was huge. He was huge of stature, with an adventurous, inquisitive and pragmatic spirit. Using his huge 28lb sledgehammer, his dynamism enabled him to amass a collection of Scottish minerals, especially agates and rocks, the likes of which has never been bettered.
At National Museums Scotland, we look after 5,700 specimens from his collection. Find out more about Heddle and explore his amazing collection here. You can download our Heddle trail [PDF 83KB] to find specimens from his collection around the National Museum of Scotland.
