Monument record MHG54922 - Lade, Culcairn Mill

The lade, serving the corn, saw and carding mills at Culcairn (MHG8107), runs along the base of the river terrace on the north side of the Allt Graad. It is clearly visible on the OS First edition map (1874, Sheet LXV.13) and on the ground. The lade starts at a bend of the river, where water is directed into it by a weir. This weir is no longer apparent, but it – along with a sluice gate at the start of the lade – are present on the First edition map. Two further sluices, just below this point, are shown on the First edition map and both can be traced on the ground. The lade is lined in places by drystone walling and partly by concrete. It is approx 2.5m wide and 0.5m deep. It now appears to be flat bottomed where it has been filled in with silt. The lade disappears before it reaches the road and cannot be traced on the east side of the road. It originally ran directly under the mill and was used until the mill went out of use in the 1960s.

Information from Alpin Macdonald <1><2>