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MHG12224 - Corn Mill, Clashnessie

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Ext photo from other side of stream - HAW 11/2004

NC03SE 6.01 0557 3083.
NC05583083 Corn Mill (NAT) OS 6"map, Sutherland 2nd ed 1907

Shown on Home's Survey of Assynt 1774-5
J Home 1774-5. <1>

The mill ruin measures 7m x 4m of drystone walling, max height c3m. The horizontally driven wheel has gone but several old mill-stones survive, as do the courses of mill stream and race.
Visited by OS (FRH) 16 May 1962.

(NC 056 309). Norse Mill, Clashnessie, 18-19th century. The complete but roofless ruin of a single-storey, rectangular dry-stone building, with two rounded corners. There is a pair of 42ins (1.06m) diameter stones in position, a third to one side, and a 48ins (1.22m) stone. The iron shaft of the tirl is still in position. The roof of the underhouse was wooden.
J R Hume 1977. <2>

This mill, shown as unannotated structure on OS 6" map, (1969) at NC05573083, is generally as described [by OS]. The upper millstone, 1.1m diameter, is still in position on drive shaft, and lower stone is slightly displaced below. Two loose millstones lie abandoned close by.
Visited by OS (J B) 5 August 1980. NC03SE 6.01 0557 3083.

NW SUT Local Plan, May 1987: P23/2.36.
J Aitken : 11/06/01.

Clashnessie Mill (NC 05568 30811) is aligned E/W on the W bank of the Amhain Claisan Eas a short distance upstream of its outflow into Chashnessie Bay. Contra <1>, this is not the mill shown on Home’s Survey of 1774 which lay on the opposite bank further upstream. It was surveyed at 1:100 by Historic Assynt as part of a Scotland's Rural Past project.
The present mill is probably an early 19th century replacement and was still in use up to the Second World War. The drystone walls survive to almost full height (approx 2m) throughout. The main building is 7m x 4m externally and the wall thickness varies from 0.60m - 0.80m. The two eastern corners beside the burn are rounded, those to the west squared, and with an entrance in the W wall. Inflow and outflow culverts for the water from the laid survive in good condition in the S and N walls. Three mill stones, part of the iron shaft of the tirl and the plastered flour box all survive.
The whole course of the lade can be traced. The Amhain Claisan Eas divides S of the modern road bridge and the western channel is diverted further to the west just N of the bridge and then follows a curving course alongside the main burn to end approx 1.5m from the S wall of the mill directly opposite but at a higher level than the culvert under the mill wall where a sloping timber flume would have directed the water towards the tirl. The final stages of the laid are partially built up above the ground surface and constructed of carefully chosen stone slabs for the channel floor with large blocks to provide built up sides. From above the point where the burn divides, the main channel would appear to have been kept artificially high by a dam which still survives 4m north of the bridge. <3>

Scheduled as a click mill. Only a maplet and formal notification is provided in the Scheduling Documentation, not a description. <4>

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Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NC 0556 3083 (40m by 40m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NC03SE
Geographical Area	SUTHERLAND
Civil Parish	ASSYNT

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