MHG1394 - Windmill, Castlehill Pavement Works

Summary

C19 windmill. The well preserved stone tower which would have been topped with a wooden cap and sails remains.

Type and Period (1)

  • WINDMILL (Built, 19th Century - 1824 AD to 1872 AD)

Protected Status

Full Description

Pumping Windmill, masonry rubble stump of a small unit probably used to pump the quarry workings. For details of the stump see MS/500/15/17.
Visited by RCAHMS (GJD) November 1991

The windmill, which would originally have been topped with a wooden cap and sails, would have pumped water from the quarry into the adjacent dam. The dam would then have provided the water to power a waterwheel, which drove the saws used to cut and trim the flagstones in the cutting yard <1>.

The windmill fell out of use between 1872 and 1906; it is annotated as 'Old Windmill' on the second edition 25" OS map of 1906. The remains of the windmill form part of the Castlehill Flagstone Trail <2>.

Sources/Archives (4)

Map

Location

Grid reference Centred ND 1951 6860 (3m by 3m) (2 map features)
Map sheet ND16NE
Civil Parish OLRIG
Geographical Area CAITHNESS

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Investigations/Events (0)

External Links (2)

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