[From Folk Life Survey 1950]

"Our Corn Mills" part 2

Mills on the rivers of the Island:

The importance of the mill for the grinding of the farmers' grain can be judged by the large numbers to be found along our different rivers. Below is a list of those we find working about 1900 :-

The Ballaugh River: A corn mill and threshing mill at Scrundal, Ballaugh Glen, Squeen Mill below Ballaugh Village,

The Killane River: Only one mill is to be found on this stream which is an artificial water-course, and it would appear that the watercourse was cut to bring water to the Killane to drive the mill, as this stream has little value for drainage.

The Lhen Stream: Here again we find a very flat, slow-running stream, and the only mill like the Killane, is near the outlet of the stream,

The Dog Mills Stream:

The Sulby River: we find the ruins of an old corn mill at Ballakirka,. There was also a corn mill at Staward up to about 1900, The Kella Mill at Sulby Village, The Claddagh Mill below Sulby Bridge,

Glen Auldyn Stream: The Milntown Mill on the Stream,

The Corony Stream: we find a Corn Mill at the Corony Bridge, on the main Ramsey-Laxey Rd, Another is situated at Cornaa at the bottom of Ballaglass Glen,

The Laxey River: There is a mill, though small having a very good business, at the big wheel, Laxey

The Glen Roy Stream: On this stream we find the Laxey Glen Mill, much larger than the ordinary water-mill and quite new compared with the other mills, Its sole use was as a flour mill,

Ballagawne stream: Here we find a very pretty mill, having the wheel visible from the road, and it is an overshott wheel, making it a fine picture,

Groudle Stream: We find two mills on this small stream, one at the bottom of the hill between Onchan and Hillberry, and the other near the sea in Groudle Glen,

West Baldwin Stream: we find a small watermill at Baldwin Village which must have served quite a large area,

The Crosby Stream: Though this stream is too flat for a mill until it gets to Union Mills where we find a very fine type of mill.

We also find a mill on the Glendarragh Stream which is a tributary of the Crosby Stream, As this stream gets nearer Douglas, we find again a very fine mill at Spring Valley, and within a mile or so, another fine mill at the Nunnery.

The Kewaigue Stream: Here we find a mill on rather a small stream, but it is nevertheless very good as the stream has a lot of fall and the wheel being high, gets the most benefit from a small amount of water,

Crogga River:

Glentraugh Streams: Here again we find a small stream with the mill, Glentraugh Mill, near its outlet.

Santon River: As streams go on the Island, this one has a very good supply of water, and we find a mill at Mullenaragher on the road between St. Marks and Mount Murray. Another mill is at the Blackboards corner in the valley.

Silverburn River: We find on this river three very small-built mills, due no doubt to the presence of limestone in this district. There is Silverdale Mill, Rushen Abbey Mill, and Castletown Mill.

Colby River: This river though not very big seems to have been popular with the mill builders, as we find a mill at Scholaby, one in Colby Glen quite close to the former, and lower down, Kentraugh Mill, we also find a mill at [?the shore]

Glen Maye River: Here we find the mill situated at the bottom of a very steep valley.

Foxdale River: Only one mill stands on thie river, which is a tributary of the Neb, though we find another small one at St. John's - Mullen e Clie,

Glen Helen stream: Here we find a water-mill by the roadside beyond Laurel Bank, and another at Glen Moar near the Woollen Mills.

The River Neb: This stream is the Foxdale and Glen Helen streams joined in one, and on it we find Glenfaba Mill - a fine building which is probably not so old as the others mentioned on the Foxdale and Glen Helen streams, Lower down, near Peel, we find another mill - this had the water-wheel inside the building.

Glen Moar Stream: On this stream we find the mill near the bridge which carried the road over the river, and it is situated below the road - very steep to get to it,

Glen Wyllin Stream: On this stream we find two mills near its outlet. One above the road, and the other near the outlet of the stream, by the shore.

We also find some very fine windmills which were used for the grinding of grain, One, which stood near St. Olave's Church neer Ramsey, had eight pairs of stones which made it a large mill, as the mills here were seldom more than four pairs.

		Water powered Mills etc
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