North Mill with stable, water wheel and threshing machine, Scalan, Braes of Glenlivet, Speyside Glenlivet, Moray

Description

A late 19th century, 2 storey, L-plan mill, with a largely complete late 18th or early 19th century threshing machine. The building is constructed in rubble with harl pointing and has a roof of Tomintoul slates. The 2-bay east wing is a stable. A timber water wheel is housed in a lean-to structure at the centre of the west elevation. The south gable has a wide square headed opening with a pair of timber doors. The north gable has a pair of square headed cart bays with a loft entrance above. The entrance on the left is partially blocked and has a door. The corners of the east gable have fragments of projecting stones known as 'tusker stones'.

The interior was seen in 2016. There is a largely complete late 18th or early 19th century timber threshing machine in the west part of the building, which is connected to the mill wheel. The machine is encased in a timber chassis and there is extensive graffiti dating from about 1874 on all of the timberwork. There are timber stalls with some troughs to the stable.

Statement of Interest

The North Mill and its threshing machine are extremely rare as one of the oldest surviving in situ threshing machines in Scotland. Whilst the mill building is later in date the building has been designed specifically to accommodate this early and complete threshing machine and it is largely unaltered. The building and its threshing machine are important surviving examples of the industrialisation of farming practices in Scotland. The North Mill at Scalan is also an important component of a remote group of buildings that together with the Former Roman Catholic Seminary (LB8453) and the South Mill (LB8454) evidence the historical, social and agricultural development of Scalan from the 18th century to the early 20th century. Scalan has historical significance because of the critical role it played in preserving the Catholic faith in Scotland during the 18th century as well as its agricultural interest.

Age and Rarity

The precise date of the North Mill building is not known but it is likely that it was constructed in the second half of the 19th century. The previous listed building record, written in 1972, dates the North and South Mill buildings at Scalan to the early 19th century, but possibly incorporating earlier fabric. However these two buildings are not on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey Map (surveyed 1869). On this map the Seminary is shown with a number of small outbuildings to the north and south and a pair of rectangular-plan buildings on the opposite side of the Crombie water (a stream about 70m to the west of the seminary). The North Mill itself is first shown on the 2nd Edition Ordnance Survey Map (surveyed 1900).

There is extensive historic graffiti on the interior timberwork of the building and the earliest graffiti date is 1874. This suggests that the mill was constructed between 1869 (date of the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map) and 1874.

Addison in their 2015 report 'Scalan North Mill and Threshing Machine: Notes on Significances' believe that the threshing machine at Scalan could date to between 1776 (when Meikle invented his threshing machine) to the early 19th century and the mill building itself was built later. "The equipment at Scalan lacks the sophistication of grain elevators and double/triple grain cleaning processes as shown on threshing machine drawings from 1840 onwards and this to us suggests the early origins of the mill." The report continues: "Although the angle of the iron skutchers on the beater drum is of a kind known to have been introduced around 1830, they could well be from subsequent modifications of an earlier machine. The equipment at Scalan North Mill follows exactly from drawings of Meikle's threshing mill with adjustable iron roller/grain grippers, wooden drum beater, wooden shaker and wooden fanner all powered from the waterwheel and the very efficient iron drive wheels."

From 1716 to 1799 there was a Roman Catholic Seminary at Scalan. Roman Catholicism was outlawed following the Scottish Reformation in 1560 and its practice was theoretically punishable by deportation. Scalan is located in the Braes of Glenlivet, which were sufficiently isolated and remote in the 18th century to shelter Catholics. The Seminary was built in 1767 (listed at category A, LB8453). Farming at the Seminary was key to their survival during the period of persecution and constant harassment of Roman Catholics. Roy's map of 1747-55 depicts rig and furrow cultivation patterns around Scalan, indicating that farming did take place. Addison refers to the seminary records that suggest that meal was imported to Scalan, but believe that it was possible that some of the later threshing was done here and the early threshing machine was already in use for their survival and for sharing essential cereal foods with the community.

Scalan was closed by the Catholic Church in 1799 when the repeal of the Penal Laws made it feasible to set up a larger and more visible seminary. The seminary was transferred to Aquhorthies near Inverurie in 1799 and then to Blairs College near Aberdeen in 1829. Addison note that it is recorded that the Holy Fathers took their farming skills with them to both locations.

After the priests moved in 1799 the seminary became a farmhouse and it is likely that the farm and mill buildings developed at this site following this date. In the Ordnance Survey Name Book of 1867-69, Scalan is described as "A commodious dwelling house, with some cottar houses offices, garden, and farm attached - the property of the Duke of Richmond. This place was some seventy years ago, a popish Seminary but is now converted into a farm steading."

Andrew Meikle's threshing machine revolutionised farming, marking the beginning of an industrial phase in agriculture which peaked in large scale technological development by 1830. It caused a fundamental change in farm design, because it reduced the need for large threshing barns and the layout of farm buildings became more formal with steadings typically arranged around a courtyard. Glendinning et. al in their book 'Buildings of the Land' state that in Morayshire the informal arrangement of farms survived into the early 19th century and by 1811 threshing machines were only found in 15% of farms in most parishes.

Farm buildings are not a rare building type and can be found across Scotland, however those that survive with early farming machinery largely intact are very rare. The threshing machine at Scalan is extremely rare as it is one of the oldest surviving and complete threshing machines in Scotland. Whilst the mill building is later in date it is significant because it has been designed specifically to accommodate this early threshing machine and has not been significantly altered since the date of its construction. The building and the threshing machine are an important surviving examples of the industrialisation of farming practices in Scotland.

Architectural or Historic Interest

Interior

The interior of the threshing barn is dominated by the late 18th or early 19th century timber threshing machine which was specifically incorporated into the design of the later building. The machine is constructed in wood and follows the designs and details developed by Andrew Meikle around 1786. The machine has been encased in a timber chassis with access points to feed in the crop and take out the separated chaff, grain and straw. There are removals panels with round peep holes to allow access to the machinery for repair. The threshing machine itself is an extremely rare largely intact survival of its type and it is significant that it remains in situ.

There is extensive historic graffiti on the interior timberwork of the building. The graffiti ranges from names and dates, to pictures of animals and comments on the harvest and it is of historical interest as it evidences the social history of the building and farm.

Plan form

The plan form of the building has been arranged to accommodate the early threshing machine and the threshing process. The south entrance is at a higher level as the threshing machine sits in a pit and at a height so that its gearing matches the waterwheel. There are areas for the separation of corn, chaff and straw. The threshing machine is positioned in the east part of the building, adjacent to the waterwheel. The waterwheel needed to be close to the Crombie Water for water to be supplied to the mill lade, so this is likely to have determined the approximate north/south orientation of the mill.

The projecting 'tusker stones' to the east gable indicate that this wing has been shortened and therefore the plan form of the mill has changed at some point in its history.

Technological excellence or innovation, material or design quality

Addison in their report assert that the mill appears to have been designed and built specially to accommodate the threshing machine and integrated with the threshing process: "The upper part of the thresher is contained in a cased timber chassis supported on large timber beams built into the masonry walls in an integrated way. The upper threshing floor joists are dovetailed into the principals in the traditional way and the entire assembly is an elegantly thought out with some visual embellishments."

The waterwheel is a breastshot 'start and awe' waterwheel and for its late 19th century date it is remarkably complete with many of the timber paddles still extant. The term 'start' refers to the piece of wood secured in the rim and projecting from it, onto which the 'awe' or the wooden float or paddle was attached at a 40 -45 degree angle. The launder fed the water directly onto the floats or paddles at the mid-point of the wheel, moving the waterwheel in a clockwise direction. The starts supporting the floats or paddles are longer on the North Mill compared to the south mill. This suggests that more power was needed to operate the threshing machine in this building than in the South Mill.

Setting

The North Mill is part of a small group of farm buildings, informally arranged, which are set in a remote highland, upper moorland valley in the Braes of Glenlivet, a setting which has not changed since the early 20th century. Together these buildings evidence the historical, social and agricultural development of Scalan from the 18th century to the early 20th century.

Regional variations

The materials used in the construction of the mill buildings are local to Scalan including limestone and use of Tomintoul slates.

Following the introduction of the threshing machine in the late 18th century the layout of agricultural buildings became more formal. The informal arrangement of the farm buildings at Scalan is, however, typical of pre-industrialised 19th century farm steadings in Morayshire that remained the norm longer into the 19th century than in other parts of Scotland.

The New Statistical Account refers to limestone being quarried and used for agricultural purposes and 'lime kilns are seen on almost every farm to provide peat fuel' (p.127). A lime kiln at Scalan is marked on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map. It is likely that this locally sourced stone may also have been used in the construction and repair of buildings, because the remote location of Scalan would mean it would have been difficult and expensive to transport stone for these buildings.

Close Historical Associations

Scalan is an important ecclesiastical site in Scotland and is renowned for its critical role in helping to preserve Roman Catholic faith and worship in Scotland during the 18th century. Roman Catholicism was outlawed following the Scottish Reformation in 1560 and its practice was theoretically punishable by deportation.

Scalan is located in the Braes of Glenlivet, which were sufficiently isolated and remote in the 18th century to shelter Catholics. Founded by Bishop James Gordon, the seminary at Scalan was in operation from 1716 to 1799 and trained around 100 Catholic priests. It also served as an administrative centre for the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland.

The listed building record (non-statutory information) was revised in 1987. Statutory address, category of listing changed from B to A and listed building record revised in 2016. Previously listed as 'Braes Of Glenlivet, Scalan, North Steading with Stable and Mill Wheel'.

External Links

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