Mains of Dun Threshing Mill - Dun, Angus. - UK Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

The Montrose Basin Nature Reserve car park at the Mains of Dun is situated next to the site of the old threshing mill at the farm, with the remaining water wheel visible behind what was the wall of the mill on the north side of the parking area amidst woodland. Now on the National Trust for Scotland owned land, a sign attached to the wall gives historical information on the mill, the text reads as follows:

'This water wheel is all that remains of the Mains of Dun threshing mill that once stood on this site. The threshing mill was invented in 1788 by a Scot called Andrew Meikle. His invention revolutionised agriculture at the time by greatly speeding up the corn milling process.

In the early days, threshing mills were often horse-powered, with special round or octagonal horse mill houses being built. However, whenever there was an efficient water supply that already powered a grain mill, as was the case at the Mains of Dun farm, it proved to be much more economical to power the threshing mill using the same free water power offered by the mill burn. A fine early example of energy efficiency if ever there was one!

The Mains of Dun threshing mill, built in the mid-19th century, had an overshot type of water wheel whereby the water from the burn was channelled to the wheel and then fell into a series of 48 'buckets' mounted around its rim.

The threshing mill and the grain mill at Mains of Dun continued operating until the early 20th century but then gradually fell into disrepair. Both mills were eventually demolished, but the threshing mill water wheel survives to remind us how water power played an important part in farming and agriculture in the not-so-distant past.

Did You Know?

The threshing mill water wheel is almost 5 metres in diameter which is almost as tall as a double decker bus!'

Also on the sign is a diagram of the wheel, and information on the National Trust owned mill at Barry, also in Angus.

The rural area of Dun is halfway between the Angus towns of Brechin and Montrose on the A935. A narrow minor road runs south at the Mains of Dun farm and the car park is a few hundred yards away to the right. The sign is to the right of the parking area on the wall.