Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Description

Weir Circa 1790 in current form, partly reconstructed, 1935. Damheid in segmental curve creating drop of circa 10' and consequent waterfall. Roughly squared coursed rubble construction with broad and shallowly stepped fish ladder to west side, some stones missing from coping. Mill (Remains), East Bank 17th century in origin, with 18th and 19th century additions, remains of mill's west forge, rectangular in plan, 48' by 43', masonry walls 3' thick of sandstone rubble and droved squared stone. Segmental-arched openings to north and south. Blocked openings to east. Corbels to interior (formerly supporting machinery, great forge hammer, great tilt hammer, bellows, shears and grindstone). Datestone 'BW.IL 1759' incorporated in 1935 from remains of east forge. Coped walkway immediately flanking mill, with concrete steps and cast-iron railings.

Statement of Special Interest

Fair-a-far was first noted to be in existence in 1676. It was originally a waulkmill and meal mill and still operated as such in 1759, when it was sold by the Smith and Wright Work Company of Leith to the Carron Company, and until after it was sold on again in 1770 to Sir William Cadell. It was one of four mills along the Almond at Cramond, the others being Dowie's, Peggie's and Cockle Mills. It is thought that its conversion for iron-making occurred in 1773 when the mill became the forge for the group of mills along the Almond at Cramond: the iron work used imported bar iron mostly from Russia and Sweden, and was not involved in smelting. It produced a great variety of objects such as plough socs, girdles and files. The weir appears to date from after 1787 (Ainslie map), and before 1839 (Carfrae map), and presumably during the mill group's heyday as iron mills from the 1770s to 1790s. The mill was previously served by a dam 100 yards upstream. At this time too a small tramway had been provided between Cockle Mill (downstream) and Fair-a-far. The mill was bought by a Mr Inglis in 1861, along with Cockle Mill, but had ceased operation by 1873 (Valuation Rolls). The large part of Fair-a-far mill was swept away by a flood in 1935: during the repairs the lead from the weir which had passed under the mill's east forge to rejoin the river downstream, was filled in. The Stewart engraving illustrates two wheels, that on the south gable thought to have been approximatley 13' in diameter with small cog wheel above, the other on the west side. The first edition OS map indicates the existence in 1853 of a wooden bridge by the weir and a sluice upstream.

References

Bibliography

About Listed Buildings

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Listing is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for buildings of special architectural or historic interest as set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997.

We list buildings which are found to be of special architectural or historic interest using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Listed building records provide an indication of the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building which has been identified by its statutory address. The description and additional information provided are supplementary and have no legal weight.

These records are not definitive historical accounts or a complete description of the building(s). If part of a building is not described it does not mean it is not listed. The format of the listed building record has changed over time. Earlier records may be brief and some information will not have been recorded.

The legal part of the listing is the address/name of site which is known as the statutory address. Other than the name or address of a listed building, further details are provided for information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland does not accept any liability for any loss or damage suffered as a consequence of inaccuracies in the information provided. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing. Even if a number or name is missing from a listing address it will still be listed. Listing covers both the exterior and the interior and any object or structure fixed to the building. Listing also applies to buildings or structures not physically attached but which are part of the curtilage (or land) of the listed building as long as they were erected before 1 July 1948.

While Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating listed buildings, the planning authority is responsible for determining what is covered by the listing, including what is listed through curtilage. However, for listed buildings designated or for listings amended from 1 October 2015, legal exclusions to the listing may apply.

If part of a building is not listed, it will say that it is excluded in the statutory address and in the statement of special interest in the listed building record. The statement will use the word 'excluding' and quote the relevant section of the 1997 Act. Some earlier listed building records may use the word 'excluding', but if the Act is not quoted, the record has not been revised to reflect subsequent legislation.

Listed building consent is required for changes to a listed building which affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The relevant planning authority is the point of contact for applications for listed building consent.

Find out more about listing and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.