Barnhourie Mill, Sandyhills, Abbey, Dumfries and Galloway

Description

Description:

Barnhourie Mill is an L-plan, two-storey, former corn mill, dating to around the late 18^th century. The mill is set on a steeply sloping site with an external timber and iron waterwheel on the north side of the two-storey east end next to the Barnhourie Burn. Former grain storerooms are attached to the northwest elevation of the mill. It is built in whitewashed random rubble with rough-hewn quoins.

The principal (southwest) elevation is on sloping ground and the two-storey section to the right houses the mill machinery. It has a central doorway with gablet over the door flanked by short windows. The southwest elevation of the attached grain store features two timber boarded doors each with a small two-pane window to the right. The mill has a slate roof with small cast-iron rooflights.

The interior of the mill retains some 18^th or 19^th century machinery including three millstones and a significant amount of the mill machinery gearing wheels. The grain storerooms feature a fireplace and some boarded wall panelling.

In accordance with Section 1 (4A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 the following are excluded from the listing: detached cottage to northwest.

Historical development

A settlement at Barnhourie is first marked on James Dorritt's 1750 map and also on Roy's 1752 Map of the Lowlands both of which name it as "Barnhurry". The first edition Ordnance Survey Map (surveyed 1849, published 1854) shows the named the Barnhourie Mill and neighbouring cottage to the northwest along with the former large mill dam and other buildings in the shoreline hamlet of Sandyhills. The Mill is shown on this map in its current footprint and the neighbouring cottage is shown with a rectangular plan form. A third, small rectangular-plan building is shown to the rear of the cottage. The Ordnance Survey Name Book of 1848-51 describes Barnhourie Mill as 'a corn mill having a detached dwelling house'. By the time of the 1893 Ordnance Survey Map the third building to the rear of the cottage has been demolished and the cottage is shown with various small additions to the rear. The mill dam is also shown partially infilled on this map. Barnhourie Mill is labelled as 'disused' on the 1907 Ordnance Survey map.

An aerial photograph on Canmore from around 1963 appears to show the buildings in their current form

Statement of Interest

Statement of Special Interest:

The building is a rare surviving example of a corn mill dating from the late 18^th century.

It retains its associated waterwheel, grain store and much of its internal machinery, the survival of which is integral to our overall understanding of the industrial site.

The mill building is substantially unaltered since the mid-19^th century and its historic character, form and authenticity remains evident.

Its 19^th century setting is largely unaltered and informs our understanding of how this industrial site functioned.

In accordance with Section 1 (4A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 the following are excluded from the listing: detached cottage to northwest.

Architectural interest:

Design

Barnhourie Mill is thought to date from the 18^th century and this dating is reflected in the simple, vernacular style of the building with its rubble construction and small window openings.

The mill building and attached grain stores retain a high level of vernacular architectural interest in its design and construction. It is substantially unaltered with no apparent changes to its footprint or openings during the later 19^th or 20^th century. The interior is of particular note due the authentic condition and survival of much of the interior machinery as well as the exterior wheel all of which continue to represent its former industrial use.

The attached, grain store rooms to the west side of the building retain some decorative interior features including a timber fire surround and panelled door piece suggesting that the stores may also have been used as accommodation at some period during the 19^th century. The attached former stores also have a have a high level of authenticity and are an important ancillary element to the main section of the mill that help us to understand its function.

Setting

The mill building is set on sloping site next to the Barnhourie Burn in a rural area near the southern coastline and Sandyhills beach. The setting of the mill is substantially unaltered from that shown on the first edition Ordnance Survey Map (surveyed 1849, published 1854). This map shows the Barnhourie Mill as part of a small group of industrial buildings including the neighbouring mill cottage to the west, and a sawmill on the opposite side of the Barnhourie Burn to the East. By the second edition map (surveyed 1893, published 1894) a Smiddy is also shown to the southeast. While some of these surrounding buildings have been altered, their survival helps us to understand how the industry of this small parish functioned in the 19^th century and adds to the special interest of the mill.

Historic interest:

Age and rarity

Small 18^th and 19^th century mill complexes were once a common building type found widely across Scotland. While many have been lost some examples do survive typically in rural communities. Those that retain a significant level of their early fabric and design are of particular interest for listing.

Dating to the 18^th century, Barnhourie Mill is a rare surviving example of a corn mill that largely retains its late 18^th to 19^th century form and character. The building is substantially unaltered, and a number of key industrial features survive including its waterwheel and items of internal machinery which tell us how the mill functioned in the 19^th century. The survival of such associated elements is increasingly rare and add to its special interest under this heading.

Social historical interest

Social historical interest is the way a building contributes to our understanding of how people lived in the past, and how our social and economic history is shown in a building and in its setting.

As the site of a corn mill which was in operation since the 18^th century, the survival of Barnhourie Mill is of some social historical interest for what it tells us about the industrial history of this small coastal settlement.

Statutory address updated and listed building record revised in 2023. Previously listed as 'Barnhourie Mill'.

External Links

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.