Hebridean Mill restoration project continues apace on Isle of Lewis
The restoration project at the 19th-century Garrabost Mill on the Isle of Lewis is well under way and funders Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and Point and Sandwick Trust (PST) were recently invited along to see the progress. The vision for the community-owned project is to restore the grain mill to its former glory with extensive repairs, creating a crofting heritage and social history hub and an exciting new visitor attraction.
Bought in a community buyout in January, the project is being overseen by the Garrabost Mill Trust Committee and PST community consultants. The work is being delivered by Lewis Builders which has made considerable progress on the mill and its outbuildings, including re-roofing, access, safeguarding the buildings and other improvements.
HIE and PST each contributed £95,000 to the project, while an additional £10,000 has been granted by the Landfill Fund, administered by Third Sector Hebrides.
PST community consultant Alasdair Nicholson said: “PST board members and Natalie Campbell from HIE were given a tour of the project, which highlighted progress, including the near completion of the phase one milestone, with a large part of phase two, environmental and related work in progress. Most of this will be completed over the next few weeks, which is great news for everyone involved. The Mill Trust will now discuss the detail of phase three, which envisages a visitor centre to meet the needs of locals and cruise ship tourists, to improve interpretation and exhibition space and enhance sustainable income with the potential to create local jobs in the near future.
Brian Chaplin, Garrabost Mill Trust chairman, added: “I was delighted to be invited along to the mill with our colleagues in PST and HIE. It was an incredibly positive experience to see the speed and extent of the restoration work – buildings re-roofed, timbers replaced and walls strengthened and repointed.
“Lewis Builders continue to do a superb job. The Mill Trust committee has a further visit planned to help inform future proposals for restoration and development of this truly remarkable project and we hope later in the year to have indoor and site public events to showcase this historic mill.”
Natalie Campbell of HIE said: “This is a fantastic example of a community-led tourism project with an important crofting and cultural history. I was really pleased to see the fantastic progress being made. A new visitor attraction will help create jobs in the community. It will also safeguard an important building with historic interest for future generations.
“We’re delighted to support this project, which will be run by a community where Gaelic is part of the everyday spoken word and we’re looking forward to seeing the project take shape.”
Built in 1893, Garrabost Mill is an important piece of social history for the islands and was in commercial operation, milling barley and oatmeal for crofting communities, until 1956. The site is set to celebrate and showcase crofting ways of life in a unique heritage attraction on the Point Peninsula of Lewis. The community purchase was made possible by funding from the Crown Estates.