NORTH AYRSHIRE WATERMILL SURVEY

Name of mill: Mill name not known but nearby lies Millburn Cottage. On investigation the remains of a building were found up stream from the cottage. This could have been a mill.

Date visited: 28.3.10

Address: Millburn, by Skelmorlie Castle, Meigle Bay.

Surveyed by: Alastair Weir Grid ref: NS195657

Present use: Ruins with semi mature trees and scrub growing within the footprint of the building.

Description of building: Size/shape. Appears to be rectangular. Length. Not measured at time of survey. Breadth. As above. Height. Not known. The remains of one gable are still standing.

Construction Walls. Random rubble stone Roof. Not known

Wheel: not known.

Machinery: Not known.

Water source: Taken from the adjacent burn, the Skelmorlie water.

Other buildings: See notes.

Photographs taken: Yes

Notes: At time of survey the use of the ruined building was not obvious and is still not. However on later talking to the owner of Thirdpart farm, (see separate entry for this.) Mr Scott quoted “Up the glen there were seemingly flat areas for growing flax.” This would explain what I first thought was a planned landscape water feature, for use by the residents of the nearby Skelmorlie Castle. The water features that I identified at the time of the survey, (areas overgrown with vegetation, principally with yellow flag.) now would appear to be retting ponds and the water collection system for them. In the burn adjacent to the building is a metal rod attached to a masonry block its purpose being unknown.

Further down the burn nearer Millburn Cottage are the remains of another building. This is square in form and made of brick. The walls are acting as retention to a bank on three sides, the fourth side being just above ground level. A gap could have been a doorway. Nothing really indicates what the purpose of the building was but it could have been a turbine house which, if it is the case, may have produced electricity for the castle. This is perhaps confirmed by the owner of Millburn cottage, Mrs Murray, describing it as ‘the electric thing’. Mrs Murray reckons ‘her mill’ appears on Pont's map. Check to be made on this map. Research of the records of the castle estate, if they remain, may provide the answers to the uses of the two buildings. It is thought the castle used to be part of the Eglinton estates.