A mill that appeared in the popular television series Outlander has resumed grinding grain for the first time in three decades following extensive conservation efforts. Visitors to Preston Mill in East Lothian can now witness milling demonstrations again after a series of restoration works, including the revival of the French Burr quartz millstones.
Historic Mill Restored
The current structure at the site in East Linton dates back to the 18th century, but evidence suggests a mill may have existed there as early as the 13th century, according to the National Trust for Scotland (NTS). Preston Mill gained fame among Outlander fans after appearing in series one, where it was transformed into the mill on the Fraser estate of Lallybroch. In the show, the character Jamie Fraser, portrayed by Sam Heughan, repairs the mill during a visit to his family home.
Conservation and Donor Support
The mill came under NTS care in 1950 and operated commercially until 1959, but it had not been capable of grinding grain for decades. The NTS said the project was sparked by a generous donor whose initial support enabled progress. Stuart Maxwell, regional director of Edinburgh and East at NTS, stated: “We know that mills like this one were at the hearts of their communities, and at Preston Mill, we tell the story of rural life in East Lothian in the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries. Keeping aging machinery running takes a lot of time and effort, but the revival of milling at Preston Mill is a powerful example of how donor generosity, public funding, and member support come together to protect Scotland’s heritage. With continued investment, these places can keep telling their stories for centuries to come.”
Milling Demonstrations and Future Plans
Milling demonstrations will be held for National Mills Weekend on May 9 and 10, with hopes for regular demonstrations in the coming months. The mill, built from local volcanic stone, is notable for its lean caused by subsidence of the kiln building, now supported by external stone buttresses. The current waterwheel, powered by the River Tyne, was installed in 1909. Much of the conservation work was funded by the Historic Environment Scotland Partnership Fund Grant, alongside the lead donor. This ongoing partnership supports essential work and the preservation of traditional crafts and skills.
Restoration Details
Fraser MacDonald, NTS visitor services supervisor at Preston Mill and Phantassie Doocot, explained: “Much of the machinery in our mill has been continuously operational, and visitors have been able to see our waterwheel turning and many of our drive belts and gears working, but our French Burr millstones have not been in a state to actually grind grain for quite some time. Last year was the 75th anniversary of Preston Mill coming into the care of the Trust, and it coincided with a lot of necessary maintenance. Fortunately, we were also able to take this opportunity to address our millstones as well as our other ongoing conservation efforts. The team at Dorothea Restorations surveyed the required work and carried out the restorations, which included dismantling the stones’ furniture, containers called tuns and hoppers to feed the grain into the stones. They dressed the faces of the stones and cleaned, adjusted, and greased the neck and foot bearings before lifting and turning over the runner stone to place it back over its bedstone, and finally refitting everything into place. The French Burr the millstones are made from is a type of freshwater quartz that is highly prized for milling. Our stones had been separated since the 1990s and were worn completely flat, but the dressing restoration has allowed them to be put back together for milling once again.”
NTS has been awarded £1,484,845 from Historic Environment Scotland’s Partnership Fund Grant over 2023-27.
