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MHG12232 - Township - 'Milltown', Culag

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Type and Period (1)

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Full Description

(Area centred NC 0920 2200) Eight buildings shown and named 'Mill Town' in 1774-5; 'Mill' shown (J Home 1774-5).
Corn Mill (NAT) in 1878 (OS 6"map, Sutherland, 1st ed., {1878}). Saw Mill (NAT) in 1907 (OS 6"map, Sutherland, 2nd ed., {1907}) (At NC 0946 2202) Depopulated by 1878 (OS 6"map, {1878})
J Home 1774-5; OS 6"map, Sutherland, 1st ed., (1878) and 2nd ed., (1907)

The saw mill (NC02SE 21) is still worked but now electrically operated, the wheel having been removed. No evidence of 'Mill Town' (the name is not known locally) was seen; the area lies within the grounds of 'Culag' Hotel and has been generally parked and planted.
Visited by OS (F R H) 12 May 1962.

No change except that the mill (NC02SE 21) is no longer in operation. The former mill wheel was of the vertical type.
Visited by OS (J B) 11 August 1980.

At some point the recorded position of this township (at NGR 209460 922020) has 'migrated' some 260m eastwards from that arrived at from the original map analysis to be closer to the site of the corn mill on the east side of the River Culag (see MHG19771). It is quite clear from the above referenced John Home Estate Maps that the township of 'Milltown' clustered around the site of the mill and along the coast for a short distance to the northeast. However, the mill itself was on the western bank of the river and not where it is later sited on its eastern bank. It is shown lying at right angles to the river. Given this position at the southern end of the only level ground at this location, this would imply that there may not have been enough open ground for a lade to have run from somewhere upstream and that the mill wheel was turned directly by the river itself. The township is shown with an area of fields which would equate to the area subsequently occupied by the Lochinver Fishing Station (see MHG12227), itself replaced by Lochinver House (see MHG12231) and what is now the Culag Hotel and its former rear walled gardens as well as the level strip of ground that now forms a playing field to its southeast. The mill and township were likely removed to make way for the construction of the Lochinver Fishing Station, a new bridge and an access road in c.1775. A new mill was subsequently built on the eastern side of the river to the southeast although the township itself does not appear to have been re-established around it. [IS-L 15/03/2024]

Sources/Archives (2)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NC 0929 2216 (270m by 149m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NC02SE
Geographical Area	SUTHERLAND
Civil Parish	ASSYNT

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