The winter months are passing which means the promise of longer days and spells of sunshine is in the air! Snowdrops are in full bloom and daffodils are providing beautiful bursts of colour – Spring is nearly here. The revitalisation and conservation of Castletown Mill continues.
Looking over to the mill from Stannergill Burn
New Openings
As we move into the next stage of the project the work becomes more apparent and noticeable as you pass by. Visible changes are happening to the building with new openings being created and long fallen elements being reinstated.
New openings are being created to revitalise the old mill building into it’s future use as a whisky distillery. These openings are to link rooms to allow the whisky production to flow seamlessly; to create space for our kitchen and bistro; and to allow the light to bounce beautifully off the stills whilst visitors can admire the stunning view.
The Kitchen Door Opening
Stillhouse Opening
Kitchen Window
The Chimney
The chimney has been rebuilt! This was very carefully taken down at the start of the project when the building was being made safe. At that time the chimney pillar was unsafe and with the wild winds sometimes experienced in Caithness it was safer to take it down. Each stone was carefully set to one side and the process documented to be able to rebuild this feature once again.
She has now been restored to her former glory and is sitting safe on the roof once again.
The original chimney
No chimney!
The chimney restored
Trusses and Slates
A large part of this building restoration is the roof! The north-south wing has long been without it’s Caithness slate roof and the slates from the east-west wing were removed towards the end of 2023 to allow preparation for the new roof. The time is coming to put the roof back on!
The east-west wing will re-use as many of the Welsh slates that were removed as possible and the new Caithness slate has been ordered for the north-south wing. Before that highly visible change can happen, the trusses need to be installed! The Scottish yard of Carpenter Oak have been very busy building 28 bespoke trusses – this will be their most northerly mainland UK frame they have built. Norbloc Construction will install the trusses and have been busy prepping the wall heads for their arrival.
Sponsor a Roof Tile
It will be a momentous time when the new roof goes back onto the building! If you would like to be a lasting part of this buildings history then please consider sponsoring a roof tile. When the distillery is open to the public you will be able to come along to identify your tile, as we will provide you with it’s positioning on the roof.
The Washbacks
A crucial part of the process – The washbacks! JB Vats have started to assemble our four washbacks and we will be looking to take delivery of these very soon. The washbacks are designed to be taller due the our building shape being high with a tight footprint. They are being delivered now as they have to go on before the roof goes on.
Saga 2 - It's coming...
We are looking forward to sharing details of our next saga in our Castletown Mill: A history through whisky series, which utilises a carefully curated blend of grain and single malt whiskies, designed to celebrate periods of the mill’s rich history, to raise funds for its conservation and revitalisation.
Joanne found the perfect image and has been researching its story; and Kevin has sourced single malt and grain whiskies to create a blend that pays homage to the moment in time depicted in the image. This saga features a prominent figure and definite hints of port.
Make sure you are signed up to receive updates on the release.
