Publication Account

Date 2013

Event ID 978548

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Publication Account

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/978548

Craigo Mill: flax, later jute spinning mill, founded in c1800. Owned from 1817 by John Maberley, then his successor in 1830, Richards and Co, of Broadford Works, Aberdeen, then passed to J & D Wilkie of Kirriemuir from 1885 so as to ensure that firm’s own jute yarn supplies. The plain between the lade and River North Esk has many drying frames of wire and steel, in order to receive fire damaged jute bales whenever there was a fire in Dundee. Here there was sufficient space to sort the jute, and deal with the spontaneous reignition to which these bales were prone. A large number of timber-framed corrugated iron-clad warehouses is there for the same reason. The mill itself is mainly early 20th century, apart from the older mechanics workshop. Spinning stopped in 1988. The weir on the North Water is by Marykirk Bridge (M10) South east, and utilising the same lade, another early spinning mill, Logie, was founded by Aberdein Gordon and Co (subsequently at Union Street Mill, Montrose, 1837) before 1805, and continued by that firm until 1860. A small mill has been adapted as a house, with an extra storey. The little settlement for workers on the higher ground near the railway line includes Logie School House, NO6980 6353. This clay building was rescued in 2004-8 by the Little Houses Improvement Scheme of the National Trust for Scotland (Europa Nostra Award 2011) and is now rented out.

M Watson, 2013