Montgarrie Mill 1882 – 1st April 2020

there was an oatmeal mill sited here from 1317

by Annie Sturgeon

At five o’clock we quickly rise An hurry doon the stair;
It’s there to corn oor horses, Likewise tae straik their hair.
Syne, efter workin half-an-hour, Each tae the kitchie goes,
It’s there tae get oor brakfest Which generally is Brose…

Extract from the Bothy Ballad ‘Drumdelgie’

Grist…     grind granite ground grain grits
clank grind shuggle riddle coarse kernel shaak
meal dust coat fine fog haze mist

Esset Burn lade waater sluice spoots slap
wheels turn shillin-steins turn corn churn
flat-kiln dry oats sheeler rake furnace burn
mill stein harp-stone belts chines straps
winnowed chaff groats ground dry meal snaps
sieve dry cool screen grind bag     …mill

Mill     Fire     Burn     Smoke     Flame     Smoke     Burn     Fire     Mill

Granite steins black lie                        still
Husk dry rubble dust                            shill
Grist…                                                …mill

I wonder what happened to the ice-skate
that hung by its strap from the kiln
‘like a talisman’?