Killin, Main Street

NN 5717 3257 A standing building survey of a series of mill lades, and a watching brief were carried out, July–August 2016, on land adjacent to Main Street, in advance of the construction of a house.

Information from the 1867 1st Edition OS map suggested that the lades had been constructed to power a saw mill and a carding mill. The standing building survey identified a main lade cut across the face of a slope with a retaining bank on the lower side. This lade ran from a concrete dam at the Bridge of Dochart, but had been infilled to the NE of the development area. Within the development area a secondary lade diverged from the main lade, initially running in an easterly direction before curving round to run roughly parallel to the main lade. The start of the secondary lade bore the appearance of a natural watercourse before turning into a deep-cut artificial channel outwith the development area. A narrow channel leading directly from this lade into the River Dochart appears to have served as an overflow. The remains of a wooden sluice were identified just beyond where the two lades diverged and a stone weir was identified close to the start of the secondary lade.

The watching brief was undertaken within the footprint of the new house. Deeper deposits at the SW end of this area mark the possible location of an earlier overflow channel from the lade. No finds or features of archaeological significance were recorded in this area.

Archive: NRHE (intended). Report: Stirling Council Archaeology Unit

Funder: Alan Couper Consulting

Magnus Kirby – CFA Archaeology Ltd

(Source: DES, Volume 18)