Description

Mid 18th century. Broad, rectangular, 2-storey and attic, wide 4-bay range with wheelhouse projecting from long E elevation. Harl pointed rubble, tooled ashlar margins. Enlarged ground floor openings in both long elevations; paired 1st and large dormerless attic windows in broad N and S return gables. Corniced end stacks; slate roof. Single storey, roofless rubble wheelhouse projects from long E elevation. Later single storey, lean-to extension against S gable.

INTERIOR: ground floor gutted; fragments of simple moulded plaster ceiling cornice survive in 1st floor.

Statement of Interest

Photographs, circa 1900, of (now roofless) wheelhouse and undershot wheel, retained in Banff Library. The building has been used as a saw-mill but was probably constructed for use in the substantial flax and linen industry that thrived in Banff in mid 18th century; the nearby meadow could have served as a bleaching green. It is notable for its breadth and large gable attic windows lighting the garret workplace. The building is sited close to the River Deveron, a source of water for the industrial processes carried on within and diverted

to the mill lade visible to the south. It is also possible that the

building served as a corf house or salmon station after the demise

of the flax/linen industry in the early 19th century. The Town Clerk's list (Banff), c.1820, enumerates 10 salmon fishing stations on the Deveron including 'a principal fishing station with a Corf house, covered with slate' at The Wrack or Nether Rake Fishing. The Deveron commercial salmon fishings were very prosperous. The Wrack also spelt Rack and Rake.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q56616307

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.

Recommended Books

• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy