Archaeology Notes

Event ID 784408

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/784408

NX96NE 47.00 96229 66249

Corn Mill [NAT] (at NX 96236 66224)

OS (GIS) MasterMap, July 2009.

NX96NE 47.01 NX 96160 66196 Mill Pond

(Location cited as NX 962 663). Monksmill, probably late 18th century. A picturesque two-storey and attic rubble building with kiln and house adjoining. An 8-spoke, pitch-back wheel with wooden axle, buckets and spokes, and iron rings and hubs, 5ft (1.52m) wide by 14ft 6ins (4.42m) diameter drove 3 pairs of stones (dated 1851). The kiln has a circular vent with a fish wind-vane. Being restored in 1974.

J R Hume 1976.

NX 962 662 A watching brief was carried out during 1997 and 1998 on the construction of a new sewage pumping station near the North Bridge, New Abbey, and associated sewers through the village. The programme of works included some disturbance of the Scheduled area adjacent to the Corn Mill, thought to be on or near the site of the monastic mill, and further E the new sewers extended some 70m within the abbey precinct.

A clay-bonded granite-built footing for the N pier of the W gateway of the abbey precinct was encountered beneath the southbound carriageway of the A710, demonstrating the gateway to have been approximately 5.2m wide.

The SE corner of a substantial structure, with walls in excess of 1m thick built of granite, was encountered below the grass verge of the southbound carriageway of the A710, 15m NNE of the existing Corn Mill. The interior of the structure lies beneath the modern road and was not exposed. No dating evidence for it was found, but its position adjacent to the New Abbey Pow makes it a candidate for the monastic mill.

Sponsor: West of Scotland Water Authority.

M L Brann 1998.

NX 962 662 Archaeological monitoring was undertaken in February 2006 during the excavation of a drainage track, tree holes and gate posts in advance of new car parking facility currently being constructed opposite the Corn Mill. The archaeological monitoring of the drainage track suggested that this area, beside the ceramic drain, has seen little or no disturbance, but this area may have been significantly altered when the fishpond and its associated workings were constructed. It is likely that the watercourses were redirected to serve the mechanisms of the pond and mill, possibly indicated by a buried gravel deposit.

Archive to be deposited in NMRS.

Sponsor: Historic Scotland.

Claire Shaw, 2006.