Auchinbaird Windmill

Auchinbaird was a nearby farm and the name is often applied to this vaulted tower windmill, a construction type that is rare in the UK outside Scotland It was converted into a dovecote sometime before 1860 with nesting boxes and a potence. Dovecotes or 'Doocots' were a feature of many country estates. Such buildings provided a valuable source of fresh meat and eggs, adding variety to meals, especially in the winter months. The large amounts of droppings, which built up on the doocot's floors, made a valuable general fertiliser and was also used in the production of gunpowder and in such processes as the dyeing of linen and in tanning leather. Windmills were often built in areas of low…

The mill has tourist attraction style signage. The dedicated paths leading up the hill are not at present maintained (datum 2021). The two facing doorways are closed over by double metal grills. The vault entrance is covered with double metal grills and has become overgrown with vegetation, but is in good condition. The vaulted area is infilled below the mill tower. The one north opening is blocked, but the single larger one is open, facing south. No remnants of the windmill machinery survive and the pigeon nest boxes have been removed, although the outlines can still be seen on the inside wall.