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MHG52812 - Mill, lade and dam - Allt nam Beist

Summary

The disused ruins of a mill, lade and dam at Allt nam Besit, Halkirk.

Type and Period (3)

Protected Status

Full Description

The mill, dam and lade were visited and photographed by D Glass in May 2012.

The dam was described as:
"An earthen dam 61 metres long, 3 metres wide at the base and standing up to 0.5 metres above the surrounding ground. The dam is breached by a gap of 4 metres at the burn. There is the entrance to a mill lade at the south end of the dam." <1>

The mill was described as:
"The grass-covered footings of a rectangular building standing on the south bank of the Allt nam Beist. The building is 6.6 metres long and 4.9 metres wide. A millstone 1.28 metres diameter lies within the building. A second millstone lies to the west at ND0840 4474.
A mill lade terminates near the west end of the building.
On the opposite (north) bank of the burn, 46 metres upstream from the building, there are the remains of a broad stone dyke 9.5 metres long at right angles to the burn. On the south bank there is what might be a short continuation of this feature abutting a rock outcrop. This feature has the appearance of a dam but it is not at a significantly higher level than the mill building and therefore is unlikely to have supplied water to it. This might indicate that there was more than one phase of mill activity, with different configurations, at this location." <2>

The lade was described as:
"A mill lade 283 metres long and up to 2 metres deep." <3>

Sources/Archives (3)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred ND 0858 4466 (272m by 175m) (4 map features)
Map sheet	ND04SE
Civil Parish	HALKIRK
Geographical Area	CAITHNESS

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