Aberdeen, Grandholm Works
Flax Mill (18th Century), Lade (Post Medieval), Warehouse (18th Century)
Site Name Aberdeen, Grandholm Works
Classification Flax Mill (18th Century), Lade (Post Medieval), Warehouse (18th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Old Machar, Grandholm Mills; Grandhome Mills; Crombie Woollen Mill
Canmore ID 82834
Site Number NJ90NW 287
NGR NJ 92570 09602
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/82834
![Comparata sketch drawing of columns in early flax mills [by Mark Watson, 1992], A: Ditherington (Shrewsbury), 1797; B: Warehouse of 1805 [Ditherington]; C: Hackling wing, 1811 [Ditherington); D: Grandholm Works, Aberdeen, column and saddle, 1793-94, beams post-1821; E: East Mill, Dundee, 1799; F: Broadford Works, Aberdeen , 1808; G: Campions Mill, Whitby, 1814; H: Abbotsford Mills, Kirkcaldy, pre-1822; I: North Mill, Kirkcaldy, c.1809; J: Chapel Works, Montrose, 1828.](http://i.rcahms.gov.uk/canmore/l/DP00245795.jpg)
![Comparata sketch drawing of columns in early flax mills [by Mark Watson, 1992], A: Ditherington (Shrewsbury), 1797; B: Warehouse of 1805 [Ditherington]; C: Hackling wing, 1811 [Ditherington); D: Grandholm Works, Aberdeen, column and saddle, 1793-94, beams post-1821; E: East Mill, Dundee, 1799; F: Broadford Works, Aberdeen , 1808; G: Campions Mill, Whitby, 1814; H: Abbotsford Mills, Kirkcaldy, pre-1822; I: North Mill, Kirkcaldy, c.1809; J: Chapel Works, Montrose, 1828.](http://i.rcahms.gov.uk/canmore/s/DP00245795.jpg)
First 100 images shown. See the Collections panel (below) for a link to all digital images.
- Council Aberdeen, City Of
- Parish Old Machar
- Former Region Grampian
- Former District City Of Aberdeen
- Former County Aberdeenshire
NJ90NW 287.00 92570 09602
NJ90NW 287.01 NJ 9122 0978 to NJ 9301 0962 mill lade
Not to be confused with Grandhome (Grandholm) corn mills, weir, lade and sluices (NJ 8962 1146 to 8981 1134), for which see NJ81SE 60.00. For possibly-associated manganese mine at danstone (NJ c. 918 102), see NJ91SW 113. For adjacent footbridge across the River Don, see NJ90NW 388.
(Location cited as NJ 926 095 and name as Old Machar, Grandholm Mills). Mid to late 19th century. A large group of single storey weaving sheds, with a 3-storey rubble block at the rear. The Hick Hargreaves tandem compound engine from this mill was moved, in pieces, to Glasgow Transport Museum in 1974.
J R Hume 1977.
The tall warehouse block dates from 1792 and survives as the Crombie Woollen Mill.
NMRS, MS/712/83.
NJ 926 095 (centre) A survey was carried out prior to housing development on the site of the former textile mills. The work focused on the area of the earliest development of the mills from 1792. Many of the original structures had been demolished in the past although some features which relate to this time were identified and recorded during the survey.
A full report has been lodged with the NMRS.
L Baker 2000.
(NJ 926 095) An archaeological watching brief was maintained in October 2001 during the demolition of buildings adjacent to the Old Mill at Crombie Mills, an A-Listed building (NJ90NW 287). Groundworks immediately to the S of the lade and W of the West Building were monitored. This area appears to have been heavily disturbed by later building work and any original mill building foundations are likely to have been destroyed during this phase.
Archive to be deposited in the NMRS.
Sponsor: CALA Homes (Scotland) Ltd.
C Lowe 2002
(NJ 926 095) A watching brief was maintained in September 2003 during the demolition of a mill lade at the Old Mill, Grandholm Works (see DES 2002, 7). The S dyke wall of the lade, of drystone construction and surviving up to nine courses high, was recorded photographically prior to demolition. A plan was made of the wall and of the exposed deposits of the excavated lade. The lade was probably V-shaped in section although its base was not reached. A granite stone wall to the S, and parallel brick walls to the N of the bridge, may represent buildings of the former mill complex shown on early maps.
Archive to be deposited in the NMRS.
Sponsor: Cala Homes (Scotland) Ltd.
E Jones 2003
NJ 926 095
A watching brief was undertaken between September 2004 and June 2005 at the site of the Old Mill at the
Grandholm Works (NJ90NW 287), during work associated with the redevelopment of the site (DES 2003, 12-13). A number of trenches for foundations were machine-excavated in the basement of the main building. The corner of a stone-built structure, possibly representing a wall or stone foundation pad, was uncovered in one of the trenches, as well as evidence for a series of parallel pillar supports. Service trenches close to the building were largely excavated
through rubble from the demolished southern building, and through general demolition debris. To the E of the main building, two small sections of wall foundation were identified and, to the N, a further section of wall. A number of new entrances were cut through on the lower ground floor of the building on the S side, and most of the blocked up windows were re-opened and repaired. These alterations were recorded in plan.
Report lodged with Aberdeen SMR.
Sponsor: Cala Homes Ltd.
NMRS REFERENCE:
The Bolton Corliss Engine in Grandholm Mills was dismantled c. 1965. Information from NMRS Demolitions catalogue.
Photographic Survey (May 1965)
Photographic survey of the Bolton Corliss Engine, Grandholm Mills, Aberdeen, by the Scottish National Buildings Record/Ministry of Works in 1965. It was dismantled shortly after.
Watching Brief (July 2007)
In July 2007, Scott Wilson Ltd commissioned Stewart Buchanan (on behalf of clients Business Homes Ltd) to present an interim report on the findings of an archaeological watching brief conducted during groundworks at Crombie Mills, Aberdeen.
One discreet archaeological feature was encountered outwith the watching brief area; a stone structure probably associated with water management (a soakaway/sump/culvert), of a possible 19th century provenance. The isolated nature of the structure and its limited dimensions suggest that it is unlikely to be related to the primary functioning of any phase of the Mill proper.
S Buchanan 2008
