New Abbey Village New Abbey Mill, New Abbey, Dumfries and Galloway

Description

A corn mill complex dating primarily to the late 18th century, with 19th century alterations, comprising a large mill building including a waterwheel, kiln, a dwelling and other related machinery, mill pond with dam, fish pond and lades.

The mill building dates to around the late 18th century and was constructed in phases. The mill building was restored in 1982. The mill is in working order, and comprises two adjoining rectangular-plan blocks sharing a common gable. It is constructed of lime washed rubble.

The north block of the mill building is two storeys and is lower and narrower than the south block, with a lean-to in the re-entrant angle to the west. The north end of the north block is the former domestic accommodation for the miller, now housing the property manager's office, visitor reception and exhibition spaces (2017). The northeast angle is curved to the roadside at ground level, and there is a long lean-to section against the west wall. The north block of the mill building also houses the kiln which was used to dry the grain before it was milled. The principal (south) range is three storeys with a loft above. There is an east-facing door at ground level which has a small-paned fanlight. There is a door off-centre left at first floor level.

There are predominantly timber fixed pane windows of various sizes throughout the building. Some openings have fixed panes with top hoppers and there are some 12-pane timber sash and case windows, predominantly to the east elevation. The roofs have straight stone skews and are covered with graded slates. There is a stone ridge cope to both blocks with a brick ridge apex stack and a tall ventilator with a fish weathervane indicator to the north block above the kiln. There is a ball finial at the gable ends of the south block.

The mill lade is carried on a rubble embankment to an iron overshot wheel on the west wall. The water-wheel, of conventional construction with cast- iron rings and hubs and wooden axle, buckets and spokes, unusually has nine spokes rather than eight or ten. The wheel is of the pitchback type which turns the wheel towards the flow of water. Water is drawn from into the mill pond then along a timber trough, or launder, and to the wheel.

The interior of the mill building was seen in 2017. All interior machinery survives (renovated during restoration in 1982). Within the mill the loft was used for storage and to feed the hoppers which led the grain to the stone floor. The stones floor has three pairs of grinding stones and a shaking sieve. The ground floor houses the machinery which transmits power from the water supply to the grinding machinery above, together with ancillary processing machinery. The kiln room contains a floor of perforated cast iron plates supported on wrought iron bearers above a brick funnel. It has roof trusses of steel and a ventilator which is circular in section.

Other structural features associated with the corn mill building include the mill pond with dam, lade, sluices and fish pond (to the west) which was originally fed via a lade from nearby Loch Kindar. The sluices have granite boulder retaining walls.

In accordance with Section 1 (4A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 the following are excluded from the listing: car park to west of corn mill and disused curling pond to west of Loch Kindar lade.

Statement of Interest

New Abbey Corn Mill is a fine example of a medium sized lowland water mill, with its machinery intact. Such mills were once very common in the life of rural Scotland but are now rare. The miller's house, drying kiln and mill unusually form an integrated structure.

New Abbey Corn Mill is a water-powered grain mill that developed from the late 18th century across the south of Scotland. Such mills ground oatmeal, other types of grain, beans and pease for both human and animal consumption. New Abbey is a medium-sized mill which was built in the late 18th century, almost certainly replacing a monastic mill in this location. The 'corn mill of Lochkindeloch' is noted in a deed dated 1559 and mention of the mill-lade frequently occurs in documents after 1578. A description of the village in 1590 in the Register of the Great Seal indicates that a mill stood in this position at this date. The present mill was built for Mr Stewart of Shambellie to serve local needs. At some time in the 19th century it was substantially altered, the 18th century two-storeyed building being converted into three by inserting a loft.

The mill lade runs almost one and a half kilometres from Loch Kindar. It originally fed the mill pond and, when the mill pond was full, flowed over into the fish pond which lies adjacent to the New Abbey Pow (river). The lade system to the southeast is partly ruinous and discontinuous but probably has medieval origins and was associated with the Abbey. The curling pond near to the loch is a later 19th century feature and forms part of the mill lade system to the southeast. It was not considered to be of special interest in listing terms (2017).

New Abbey Corn Mill is a property in care of the Scottish Ministers.

Statutory address and listed building record revised in 2017. Previously listed as 'New Abbey Corn Mill, including mill building, mill pond, fish pond, lades, sluices, and excluding lade to southeast of mill pond, channels into New Abbey Pow river, hardstanding, and all other structures, New Abbey '.

External Links

Historic Environment Scotland Listing

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