MHG10195 - Spinningdale Mill

Summary

No summary available.

Type and Period (2)

  • WATERMILL (Built, 18th Century - 1792 AD to 1794 AD)
  • COTTON MILL (Built, 18th Century - 1792 AD to 1794 AD)

Protected Status

Full Description

NH68NE 43 6759 8942.
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The Industrial Archaeology of Sutherland (A Scottish Highland Economy 1700-1900, pp. 160-185) - Sinclair B Calder, 1974 <1>

(Location cited as NH 675 894). Spinningdale Mill, built 1792-4 for the Balnoe Company, is a four storey, six-bay building, gutted by fire in 1806. At the S end is a projecting stair bay with Palladian windows, and at the N end is a semi-circular heating tower.
J R Hume 1977. <2>

Spinningdale Mill is in ruins and in danger of collapse.
Visited by OS (NKB) 10 December 1980.

ARCHITECT: James Boag 1794
Burned 1806

BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCE: NMRS LIBRARY
Scotland's Magazine, July 1965, p.24

Upstanding, although very deteriorated, stone & lime mortared building. Possibly 4 storeys seen, but only three visible on main walls. <3>

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Published and anecdotal accounts give different information about the mill. John Shaw’s book Water Power in Scotland 1550-1870 says it was handpowered, the RCHAMS Canmore says it was steam, and others, including John Evan’s book Gentleman Usher. The Life & Times of George Dempster 1732-1818 and research by Malcolm Bangor-Jones, believe it was water powered.
The foundations for the stables still survive there, and possibly weaving sheds immediately below the road (Anne Coombs). The RCAHMS section on Canmore is not accurate in its depiction of the Engine House – doors and windows should be on the ground floor (Anne Coombs). There is also a local tradition that the mill was also used for flax which was imported. This may be confusion with the flax mills at Newton Point , but HistoryLinks Museum was given two sheets which were reputedly woven at the mill in 1806 (Sue Higgins). <4>

Sources/Archives (8)

Map

Location

Grid reference Centred NH 6758 8942 (40m by 40m) (2 map features)
Map sheet NH68NE
Geographical Area SUTHERLAND
Civil Parish CREICH

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Investigations/Events (1)

External Links (2)

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