Ironmacannie Mill

Ironmacannie Mill, one of the largest in south west Scotland, milled grain for all the farms on the Kenmure Castle Estate. Reputed to have been built around 1640, it continued working until 1947. The wheel is 14ft in diameter, 4ft wide and is in full working order. Much of the machinery, including three sets of grind stones, is still in situ.

Retiring here from a Stewartry farm in 1996, the door to which the Mill’s new owner Chris Mason wished to find the ‘key’ was that of Sustainable Green Energy. As the mill wheel has no proper bearings for 24 hour a day working, the water is diverted to a turbine which produces 60 kilowatts of electricity a day. In turn, this runs a water sourced heat pump to more than adequately heat the Mill where Chris and his family live and the Feed In Tariff for the surplus electricity that is produced buys power to run an air sourced heat pump to warm next-door Mill Cottage. It’s all very ingenious, and the burn, mill pond and garden are beautiful too.

Coming north from Castle Douglas on the A713, the Hidden Road is the first on the right after the Loch Ken Multi Activity

Centre. Coming south from New Galloway/ Dalry, it is on the left, 2 miles South of Ken Bridge Hotel. Drive down the Hidden Road for mile and take the first on right. The Mill is half a mile further on, just after a sharp left bend. Parking is in the field on the left as you reach the Mill.