A Paper Mill in Scotland – May 2008

[wolfism]

Lookin' good boys! I've said it before but, Struan is the UE capital of Scotland!

That sandstone house down near the front looks pretty nifty - was that abandoned too or in use still?

Chris...

Cheers mate - alas, "Struan House" was the only part we couldn't access, and I've since found out it has some nice stained glass as well. Pity ...

 

[SonorG]

Great pics - great place, very interesting

 

[TurboZutek]

Cheers mate - alas, "Struan House" was the only part we couldn't access, and I've since found out it has some nice stained glass as well. Pity ...

Looks good for sure... Might be one to keep an eye on if it's local to you! I'm guessing (with proximity) it would be the mill owners? They weren't short of a bob or two in the glory days, at least.

Chris...

 

[dazzababes]

Although not originally called "Straun House", it was built for the owner of another mill in the vicinity, and I believe it eventually became offices for the mill in the grounds of which it sits, which is where it took it's current name from.

 

[wolfism]

Cheers for posting that Dazza, that image appears in the commemorative book I mentioned, I think … the Ford Model "T", like the house itself, belonged to the owner of the first mill to be established, then when the two mills were merged the house was all that survived of the earlier business. It's listed now, and if the mill itself is redeveloped, the house may once again be all that survives; in the meantime, it was used as offices and latterly for mess facilities, AFAIK.

 

[MonkeyGirl]

Great looking explore guys! Looks like it would take a alot of hours to get around it all

 

[Pincheck]

most of the day thats for sure there was a part we missed but after a 12 nightshift i just wanted a sleep but we had a reccy of another place or 2 to do

 

[skittles]

I am jealous such a great place and so well photographed

Most of all thanks for the history, brilliantly done.

 

[rossmcd]

mill

hi,
thats some mill, wouldn't mind a visit could you contact to discuss.

Ross

 

[thematic]

Great Pictures folks, I served my apprenticeship as a mechanical fitter there but left a couple of years before it closed. It is quite sad to see it like that but life must go on and I will forever be fond of the place. In one of your pictures I can see a gearbox sitting on a very rusty steel frame over one of the lagoons in the effluent building, I built and installed that frame and gearbox as a project when I was an apprentice, as usual with the mill the gearbox was robbed from a tank in one of the buildings which was known as the 'old side'. The effluent building itself being the old machine hall for the machines shut down in the early 80's, trust me the roof was falling in even when I was there, it always was a dank dingy place to work.

Good that you got into the workshops just a pity there are no pics of the lathes, milling machines, grinders and drilling machines that I used to use.

Many of the areas pictured were old and abandoned long before the mill shut, anytime I wanted to hide from my boss I would go walking round the old parts of the place and even then it was like walking back in time, its such an old site with so much history that is now going forever.

Keep up the good work....

 

[wolfism]

Hi Thematic,

Thanks for your comments – I'm fascinated that you fitted the gearbox, then came across its photo here many years later. I'm glad we got the chance to explore the papermill, but sadly, the papermaker who owned this mill shut the other Scottish mills they owned, too. I'm sure you'll also feel that it's "the end of an era" for papermaking as a whole …

Anyhow, I can imagine that the engineering shop was well equipped: there were only a couple of machine tools left by the time we visited, but plenty holding-down bolts in the floor …

 

[thematic]

Hi Wolfism

Came as a surprise to me to see so many pictures of the place, so many memories came flooding back, I was trying to find out about an old property I bought in the area when I came across this site. Stunning is the only word to describe this site, the pictures here will forever be part of the local history of many places and I applaud the efforts of you all in spending time to document these places, if not, a lot of these sites would be completely lost to the pages of time.

If interested the gearbox I was talking about is in the 16th pic from the top, just to the left of the life jacket/ danger sign, and in Pincheck's post number 13 8th pic down is the tank I removed the box from (90% certain). I know, I should get out more .


Yes it's the end of an era for papermaking in Scotland, the town where you pictured that mill had at least 5 paper mills, think they were Stoneywood, The Vale, Anchor Mills, Carrongrove and Headswood, Headswood still surviving in part as a foundry and storage facility the last I looked.

At least part of the papermill legacy will live on with me as the training and depth of trade skills I learned in the industry are second to none.

By the way, last time I passed the place (3 weeks ago) the demolition crews were moving fast.

Almost forgot, in September there is an open day in the mill offices, last chance to see inside before it is developed into flats, I imagine the stain glass window will still be retained but it is well worth a look as it is spectacular.

link here... http://www.doorsopendays.org.uk/opendays/area_programmes.aspx?areaid=17

Thanks again

 

[foz101]

Another on doorsopen? These Doors Open days are absolutely brilliant.