Tormiston Mill

Tormiston Mill
Tormiston Mill in 2011 as the Maeshowe Visitor Centre
Type	Watermill (1882–1962) Visitor Centre (1989–2016)
Location	Stenness
Area	Mainland, Orkney
Built	1882
Owner	Historic Environment Scotland

Location of Tormiston Mill in Orkney Islands

Tormiston Mill is a Category B listed watermill located on the Mainland of Orkney, in Scotland, owned by Historic Scotland since 1989. The mill sits adjacent to Maeshowe Chambered Cairn.

History

Watermill (1882–1962)

Tormiston Mill was built in 1882 by Colonel Balfour of Shapinsay, and became operational shortly after. Many of the original mill mechanisms have been preserved inside. The mill is a large, rectangular building with three floors and originally a small attic until it was stripped out during asbestos removal in the 2010s. It was powered by three pairs of grinding stones driven by a cast iron water wheel.^[1] Tormiston was not a flour mill, but instead processed grain, peas and beans for animal feed, as well as coarse bere and oatmeal for bread or porridge. Tormiston Mill served the parish of Stenness until 1962 when it finally ceased production. After the mill closed, it became a restaurant and shop, winning a European Architectural Heritage Award in 1975.^[2]

Maeshowe Visitor Centre (1989–2016)

Tormiston Mill was purchased by Historic Scotland in 1989, and because of the building's close proximity to Maeshowe Chambered Cairn, it became the ticket office and gift shop of Maeshowe. A cafe was located on the second floor until around 2005. Tormiston Mill had no wheelchair access to the gift shop on the first floor, and there were concerns about the asbestos located within the roof of the building. As safety concerns grew revolving around the carpark's close proximity with the A965 road, a crash outside the mill finally led to the close of the mill as a visitor centre in September 2016. Tours from Maeshowe operated via shuttle bus from the Skara Brae visitor centre in Sandwick until a new Maeshowe visitor centre opened in Stenness Village in April 2017. Tormiston Mill was officially condemned for Historic Scotland staff use in 2020.