Support for anyone working with mills
Our purpose
To connect and support people and organisations who preserve historic mills, millwrighting skills and milling culture for future generations. We introduce people to historical and technical information, fresh ideas for progress, and offer a forum for inspiration on mill-related topics. We host online meetings and hope to facilitate in-person events. The North UK Mills Group evolved from the 2022 Mills Weekend conference in Perth.
What is a Mill?
A building in which a substance is or was crushed, ground, spun, rolled, sawn or shaped by rotative power. The power source is or was water, wind, animal or steam, or a combination of these. There are distinctive elements, such as kilns, to mills in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the northern counties of England, our main area of focus.
Who is this for?
Anyone interested in or working with a mill structure, of any kind and in any condition. Of great interest to this network is machinery crafted by millwrights or millers, with evidence wholly or partially in situ, working or potentially workable. Productive mills, visitor attractions, mills converted to other uses – all welcome!
Milling job available!
Heatherslaw Corn Mill, Northumberland
Head Miller
Heatherslaw Corn Mill
“Do you have passion and enthusiasm? Do you have an interest in tradi onal milling methods and looking a er a working heritage museum and machinery? Can you balance a working produc on environment with crea ng memorable experiences for visitors? If so, we would like to hear from you.”
Closing date 16th February 2025
Spring Fair at the Mill
Sunday 30th March 2025
11am until 3pm
Browse through more than 30 stalls offering art, craft, foods and other exciting things from the area. The Café at the Mill, Drumsleed Burger, Stallion Pizza and Regency Whippy Ice Cream will have delicious food, cakes and snacks available on the day.
(Please bring cash)
Mills on the air
Invite local radio amateur groups to put on a radio station at your mills!
North UK Mills Group Meetings
Next event: 2nd April 2025, 10am
Booking for our April event will open soon!
Future dates: 7th October 2025
These free, online meetings are for anyone with an interest in mill heritage, owners or operators of commercial or converted historic mill buildings and/or those of us with a full-time role in developing and/or running mills.
SPAB Mills Section
Advice, events and contacts
The authority on Mill buildings across the UK, visit the SPAB Mills Section pages to access advice and guidance, the Mill Repair Fund, information about the National Mills weekend, the Millwrights directory – and more!
Mill Case Studies
Free to watch on YouTube
We’re building a collection of case studies from our online meetings. Take a look to find out what different mills are up to across the north of the UK!
Ready to watch now:
The Mill of Benholm Enterprise
New Lanark Trust
Mills Open to the public in Scotland
Take a look at our map to find mills near you
View the map to find out more about mills available to visit throughout Scotland. Take a look at the linked websites to confirm dates and times that these buildings are open to the public.
Scotland the Bread
Have a read about this brilliant project
“Scotland The Bread is a collaborative project to establish a Scottish flour and bread supply that is healthy, equitable, locally controlled and sustainable.
Our idea is simple – grow nutritious wheat and bake it properly close to home.”
Our Linen Stories
Exhibitions, events and special projects celebrating Flax Fibre and Linen
“Drawing on a rich heritage and enabling contemporary creative endeavour, in Scotland and beyond: new touring displays, regenerative textiles networking, school & community flax projects, and international roundtables.”
Mills Archive Trust
Dedicated to the protection and preservation of the records of milling history
“The Mills Archive is one of the world’s great mill collections. A permanent repository for the documentary and photographic records of traditional and contemporary mills and milling, as well as similar structures dependent on traditional power sources. It makes that material freely available for public inspection and use in research and learning.”
Milling Matters presentation recordings
Watch four excellent talks online
Perth & Kinross Heritage Trust hosted the Milling Matters conference in 2022 in partnership with SPAB. Watch the four accompanying lectures on Youtube:
The Lifecycles of Textile Mills
Mills showcase
View the poster slideshow featuring 15 mills from across Scotland
Created for the Milling Matters conference held in Perth in 2022, mills from across Scotland created a poster to showcase their site and highlight their fascinating histories and future topics.
The event was funded and supported by SPAB, Perth & Kinross Heritage Trust, and Historic Environment Scotland.
Mills of Northern Ireland
A vast source of information shared online
Created by Sebastian Graham, the purpose of this site is to make a record of the mills and industry that played a vital role in the history of Ulster and Northern Ireland.
“Mills of Northern Ireland aims to put our industrial heritage back on the map. How is this being achieved? Through the use of the Valuation Records, Ordnance Survey Map Records and local information.”
Sebastian is keen for input from anyone who has knowledge, stories or pictures of mills in this area.
Scottish Water Mills Website
Location and details of over 9,000 mills in Scotland in the 19th Century
Created by the National Library of Scotland, with Historic Environment Scotland, Arts & Humanities Research Council and the University of Glasgow.
An excellent resource, the Scottish water mills website combines records from the GB1900 Gazetteer and Canmore, as well as first-hand research based on Ordnance Survey first and second edition mapping. It provides options to query and filter the mill records by name, mill type, date, and related features.
There’s also a brief overview of the types of mill that make up Scotland’s industrial heritage.
Recent research!
The potential for the refurbishment of historic hydropower generation for the benefit of local communities in the Highlands & Islands region
“Research on the potential for the reuse of historic hydropower sites, such as mills and weirs, for the generation of hydropower in Scotland is limited, with only two previous studies. …. This study aims to determine what potential exists for re-use of mill sites as hydropower generators in the Highlands and Islands region of Scotland, and how they may be used to benefit local communities.”
Have a read of Alasdair Bachell’s 2022 doctorate thesis to find out more!
Image credit: Keathbank, Graeme Berry