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.
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 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.
Trusses & 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.
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.
Sponsor a Roof Tile
There are still tiles which could have your name on them! 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.