Three years after considering it for closure, the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) is working to raise the profile of an Angus mill.
Barry Mill, near Carnoustie, was one of 11 properties across Scotland being considered for closure before the cost-cutting proposals were eventually reversed.
Custodian Peter Ellis was served with a 90-day redundancy notice and would have lost his job under the plan but now his story is being highlighted by the NTS in a new series of online soundslides.
Mr Ellis has been resident miller at Barry since it was taken into the care of the trust over 21 years ago.
Scotland’s Stories created soundslides to tell ”the story of the diversity of the skills of the people needed to tend the places in the care of the NTS and their passion for their vital work to conserve and promote our heritage.”
Chief executive Kate Mavor said: ”The trust is uniquely placed in Scotland. It’s the only conservation charity which is responsible for looking after the whole panoply of our heritage built, natural and cultural.
”Through Scotland’s Stories we hope to give an insight into the vast array of skills and experience that is needed to look after the special places and items in our care. All of this goes on day in, day out and often unnoticed behind the scenes.
”We wanted to pull back the curtain on the world of conservation and shine a light on the talent and dedication of the passionate people who keep Carnoustie’s heritage alive for future generations.”
The project is intended to raise public awareness of what’s involved in caring for the nation’s heritage and encouraging people to talk about it too.
One of the very last working mills of its type in Scotland, Barry Mill offers a unique insight into the central role that mills played in the lives of people in rural communities.
With records for the site going back to 1539, the mill was the last water-powered meal mill to have worked in Angus, ceasing operation in 1982.
NTS bought the mill ”for the benefit of the nation” and, after conservation and repair, opened it to the public in 1992.
When the mill first opened as a tourist attraction in 1992 it received 11,000 visitors over the year. Figures of 4,000 later became the norm and the poor summer weather of 2008 saw visitor numbers drop to an all-time low of 2,076, resulting in operational losses of £25,000.
In March 2009 it was one of 11 NTS-owned sites earmarked for possible mothballing due to operational deficits.
A ‘save the mill’ campaign was launched along with a petition. The mill was eventually saved after councillors and the Gibson Graham Charitable Trust agreed to provide financial assistance while looking at ways to make the attraction more profitable.
Later that year the meal mill was upgraded to a category A-listed building.
Director Verity Walker said: ”It was a privilege for the Interpretaction team to spend a full day in the company of master miller Peter Ellis, who captivated us with his stories of millers and milling.”
People can upload their own stories about trust properties, their visits and experiences at a dedicated Facebook page.
The project is intended to raise public awareness of what is involved in caring for the nation’s heritage and encouraging people to talk about it too, as outlined in the trust’s strategy Securing the Future of our Past, published in August 2011.
The Barry Mill story features at www.nts.org.uk/ScotlandsStories/MillersTale