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MHG14733 - Bobbin mill - Culligran Wood

Summary

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Type and Period (1)

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Full Description

A bobbin mill has been recorded here by NCC staff. The course of the lade powering the mill can be traced abstracting water from the River Farrar at NH 3670 3923 and emptying it at NH 3702 3942. <1>

Research into the bobbin mills of northern Scotland was undertaken by J Gilliatt as a volunteer researcher for the Woodland Trust’s Ancient Woodland Restoration project (2014-2018), which funded access to online resources including genealogical records and the newspaper archive. A water powered mill was established in Strathfarrar prior to 1853, when the mill lade was clearly shown on an estate map, and local tradition suggests that this was a bobbin mill. An archaeological survey undertaken in 1991 noted that “A bobbin mill has been recorded here by NCC [Nature Conservancy Council] staff”, but without providing any corroborating evidence, and although a “huge deep, canal like laid” is visible on the ground and in aerial photographs, nothing more is known. The only relevant census records are of 3 saw millers living in the immediate area in 1851, which suggests that the mill may have been a saw mill, rather than a bobbin mill. Another possibility is that the mill was originally set up as an estate sawmill, during the first half of the 19th century, but was later used as a bobbin mill. However, without further evidence, it is impossible to know. <2>

Included in field survey by R Spencer-Jones in 2022 (Culligran Area 10). Mill remains at Culligran Meadow. More information awaited. <1>

Sources/Archives (3)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 3693 3938 (40m by 40m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH33NE
Civil Parish	KILMORACK
Geographical Area	INVERNESS

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Related Investigations/Events (1)

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