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MHG62579 - Cottage and/or barn - NW of John O'Groats Mill

Summary

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Type and Period (2)

Protected Status

Full Description

A possibly C19 cottage and/or barn to the northwest of John O'Groats Mill

In 2013 AOC Archaeology Group was commissioned by the Princes Regeneration Trust in association with the North Highland Initiative to undertake the first phase of works of a much wider vision for the future of the abandoned John O'Groats Mill. These works, undertaken between 4th-8th March and 14th March, included: a desk-based assessment and walkover survey of the land within the ownership of the mill owner; a detailed measured survey of the mill; a general topographic site plan of the area including the mill pond and its associated waterways; a detailed written and photographic survey of the mill, the mill cottages and the abandoned cottages to the north-west, as well as the adjacent 17th century Cromwellian Bridge; an inventory of all the moveable artefacts inside the mill and a geophysical survey on the ground surrounding the mill (carried out by Rose Geophysical Consultants).

The two abandoned cottages were not part of the main survey as they are outwith the ownership of the mill owner. However, it was considered prudent to put some record of them here to place the site into context as a working landscape. There are two cottages, and the southernmost building is Category C Listed, referred to as 'Mill Cottage' (see MHG15125). The northernmost abandoned 'cottage' is not recorded as being listed and is an open stone-rubble built three-bay single-storey barn with pitched corrugated asbestos roof. The north elevation is relatively plain with a single window to the west and stone-blocked doorway to the east. The east gable is plain with a large concrete tank attached. Moving round to the south elevation facing the south cottage, there are three main doorways (the doors have long since been removed, the frames remain). The western end forms a smaller annexe added on to the main building, the north gable of which is in a bad structural condition and has a dangerous crack along the south side. The south elevation has three doorways into rubbish-filled rooms.

NOTE: <1> makes reference to an estate map of Duncansby dating to 1817 and two buildings are shown in the approximate location and orientation as the two 'abandoned ' cottages [IS-L 18/03/2022].

Sources/Archives (1)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred ND 3715 7337 (18m by 9m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	ND37SE
Civil Parish	CANISBAY
Geographical Area	CAITHNESS

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Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Investigations/Events (1)

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