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New Abbey Corn Mill is 7 miles south of
Dumfries, in the small Village of New
Abbey, on the A710 road.
The mill can be visited 1 April to 30
September: 10.00am to 4.30pm.
1 October to 31 March: Friday & Saturday, 10am to 4pm. Small entry fee.
Postcode: DG2 8BX
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1200s - the first Corn Mill was built on
this site by the Monks of Sweetheart
Abbey, with the Abbey being at the other
end of the Village, a popular attraction.
1700s - the Mill that can be seen today was
built on the site of the earlier Mill. The
original Water System and Holding Pond is used
in this Mill.
The Mill is operated some days so visitors
can view it working.
The earlist way of Grinding Corn, Oats,
Barley, and Wheat was with a Stone and a Stone
Bowl, a slow way of pounding them into
Flour.
Quern-Stones
were used next, small Top and Bottom Stones
with Groves in the Top Stone. The Top Stone was
turned by hand to Grind the Corn. These were
used in most Homes, taking two or three hours a
day to produce enough Flour to make Bread for a
family.
1100s - Water Mills, Wind Mills, and Animal
Powered Mills were then used for Industrial use
in Scotland, many by Monks of Abbeys.
These Mills used large Grinding Stones with
groves cut into the Top Stone, so as when the Top
Stone turned, it would Crush the Corn into
Flower.
The speed of the Stones, and how close
together they were, produced finer Flour. Fine
and Course Flour was needed to produce differet
foods.
Farmers at that time took their Corn to the Mills to
be Dried in a Kiln, then Ground by the Large
Stones in the Mills.
Modern Mills now use Electricity to turn
Metal Rollers to Grind the Corn. Some of the
Rollers have Grooves in them.
1948 - the New Abbey Corn Mill was closed
down.
Historic Environment Scotland now runs the
Mill as a tourist attraction.
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