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Summary

Description

1838, incorporating waulk mill of 1807, and developed with further additions in 19th century. Complex of single and multi-storey mill buildings, whinstone rubble with sandstone ashlar dressings. Slate roofs. 4-pane fixed and casement windows.

A: HIGH MILL 1838. 4-storey and double attic, almost square-plan, 5-bay sides and 2-bay gables with dummy stacks. 6th stair bay projects at SE with narrower windows, piended roof and diminutive octagonal bellcote. External unenclosed lift cage. 3 tiers of skylights. INTERIOR: timber floors on single row of stout cast-iron columns simply supporting timber cross beams. Belt driven lift. Vertical drive shaft and bevel gears survive throughout, as does horizontal line shafting on upper floors. Double collar beam attics.

B: FORMER WHEEL HOUSE AND YARN STORE: (A Elliot), circa 1870. 2-storey, 6- by 6-bay, half-piended M-roof. 1st floor windows arched to N and S elevations. Catslides to E and W elevations. 1st floor bridge to High Mill. Cast-iron octagonal gatepiers and gates. Railings replaced post-war.

INTERIOR: wheel pit floored over. Stone party wall. Timber floors with late steel beams added.

Small building incorporating remnants of Hogg?s waulk mill of 1807 to SW, bordering mill pond. 3 multi-paned windows. Slate piended roof. Small island carried drive shaft into mill. Stone boundary wall to Station Road, and cast-iron parapet of cast-iron flat-girder bridge over lade (see Notes).

C: HAND-LOOM/PATTERN WEAVING SHOP: 3-storey and attic, 20-bay, linked by bridge at 2nd floor to mill. Plaque "GR and Co 1838" between doors for weavers and to office. Blind gable to S, 2-bay gable to N, ground floor niche to drinking fountain. Later enlarged windows to ground floor office and to 1st floor gable. Single storey addition in 2 stages to W with Roman Doric columned aedicule and pediment. Oculus over lights later stair. INTERIOR: octagonal timber post and beam construction. Storage shelves for yarns. Circa 1900 office partitions and etched glass doors.

3-storey reinforced concrete framed extension added to right angles, 1927, adjacent to dyehouse.

D: BOILER AND ENGINE HOUSES: to N of mill:

S horizontal engine house, with oculus in gable. INTERIOR: not seen, 1996.

Central boiler house: 2-storey with steps to 1st floor drying room. Lean-to asbestos roof. Formerly held 3 Lancashire boilers.

N tall engine house with cast-iron roof tank and dentil cornice. Ashlar W extension with rusticated quoins and blocked arched window by J and J Hall, 1910. Lower part slapped out. Feed pump and covered timber tank over. INTERIOR: originally a beam engine house to power the weaving shed, altered 1910 to house a 250 hp compound horizontal engine. Walls fully tiled and with ornate borders.

E: SHEDS: 23-bay; equal-sided double-pitched piended slate roofs with eastlights and conical ventilators. Cast-iron columns carry timber roof trusses. Built 1850s-80s. From W to E:

a) 5-bay power loom weaving shed begun in 1850s. Blank wall to street except modern shopfront.

b) 6-bay; each with 2 arched windows to N. Used for warping, darning and wool storage.

c) Remainder originally served as wool stores, but subdivided into smaller units with some slapped openings, 1994.

d) Courtyard entered form S, enlarged 1995 by demolition of Mill house, tenter house, finishing, scouring and drying houses, to form access to units in main shed. Modern shed to E on site of smithy.

Statement of Special Interest

For George Roberts and Co, who pioneered cheviot cloth and, it is claimed by Bremner, were the first in the area to adopt the self-acting mule. The reputation for quality was outstanding. George Roberts and his brother Tom, both of Galashiels, visited the USA and returned with the first condensers. George became provost of Selkirk and chairman of the Selkirk-Galashiels Railway Company. Sons John and Tom Roberts pioneered the import of Australian and New Zealand wool to the Borders.

Forest Mill served as the wool store, dyehouse and weaving mill for the firm. Spinning was conducted at St Ronan?s Mill, Innerleithen, Philiphaugh Mill, Selkirk (from 1872), and Earlston Mill. Merged 1962 with Robert Noble of Hawick and Walter Thorburn of Peebles. Weaving mill closed 1967, and the remainder in 1973.

Weaving was since been restarted by S Elliot and the remainder of the complex is used for a variety of small industrial and retail purposes.

Mill Lade Bridge is listed with Station Road, Waterworks (see separate listing).

References

Bibliography

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