Watermill of Benholm- Schotlan - UK - Water Mills on Waymarking.com

The Mill of Benholm lies in a wooded hollow near the quiet hamlet of Benholm, which is 21 km ( 13 miles) south of Stonehaven and one mile inland from the fishing village of Johnshaven. For many centuries Benholm and hundreds of similar small mills throughout Scotland were of vital importance to the rural community as the supplier of the main food item, oatmeal.Today, Benholm is the only surviving traditional water-powered meal mill in Kincardine.

It is probable that there has been a mill at Benholm since at least the 12th century, when a charter records that William the Lion, King of the Scots, granted the lands of Benne, including its pastures, moors, woods and mills, to Hugo, who then became Hugo de Benne. A charter in 1492 gives further evidence of a mill at Benholm when John and Isabel Lundy granted the lands and barony of Benhame with the mill to their son, Robert. Later records show that the lands of Benholm, together with the mill, passed by marriage in the 16th century from the Lundy family to the Keiths, the powerful Earls Marischal. Throughout the 18th and most of the 19th century Benholm estate was owned by the Scott family before being sold to William Smith in 1879. The estate was broken up in 1905, the mill being sold with the farm of Brotherton

Early In 1994 the final phase- of the restoration started as a long term special project by the Scottish Conservation Projects Trust. The retaining wall of the Burn of Benholm was, completely rebuilt from a point opposite the bridge over the dam down to the tailrace. Various local specialist contractors undertook roofing, electrical, drainage and fencing work. The buildings were all completed with drains installed and floors laid; the cafe and toilets were fitted out. At the same time the painstaking restoration of the mill machinery progressed.

Footpaths and bridges were constructed and the old turn pike bridge was cleared of trees and scrub and opened up for the first time in many years.The car park and reed lied were constructed by specialist local contractor.A small group of craftsmen and craftswomen from the conservation volunteers of 1994 stayed on and completed all the landscape construction and the machinery restoration during the first half of 1995.

The restoration of the Mill of Benholm took nine years to complete. All the restoration work was directed and supervised by staff from the Leisure and Recreation Section of the District Council. Those who took part in the project learned many new skills and everyone involved achieved a great sense of pride and satisfaction.

The Mill of Benholm was officially opened to the public on 6th July 1995 and a new chapter in the story of the mill began.

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Current Status: Still In Use Current Use: water-powered meal mill

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Date Logged Log User Rating   04/05/2022 creg-ny-baa visited it