St Roque's Mill. General view from South-West.

Description St Roque's Mill. General view from South-West.

Date 22/4/1980

Catalogue Number AN 4359

Category Photographs and Off-line Digital Images

Copies SC 787432

Scope and Content St Roque's Mill at Lower Dens Works, Princes Street, Dundee, from south-west St Roque's Mill dates to around 1830-40. Bought by the Baxter Brothers after it had stood empty, it was given an iron frame and a higher mansard roof (the lower part is steeper than the upper part). Urn finials, or ornaments, were also added to the gables. The mills at Lower Dens belonging to the Baxter Brothers were St Roques, the North Mill, Dens Mill, and Bell Mill. All of the mills were fireproof, and the iron used in their construction came from the foundry belonging to the Baxter Brothers. All the mills were used for the spinning of flax. The Baxter Brothers carried out various philanthropic projects to help the inhabitants of the city. For example, Dundee had no provision for university education, until Mary Anne Baxter (d.1894) founded University College, Dundee, in 1882. She was the daughter of the founder of Baxter's, William Baxter. The founder of the Baxters company, William Baxter (1766-1854), opened his first mill for spinning flax in 1822 in Lower Dens, Dundee. During the 19th century the company added other buildings to the complex, becoming the biggest manufacturers of linen in the world around 1840. They maintained this position for another 50 years. Due to the demise of the textile trade in Dundee many of the buildings were demolished in the 1980s. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

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