The 130-year-old Garrabost Mill in Lewis is entering a critical stage of its restoration
and development project as work moves from the safeguarding of its buildings to the
creation of a heritage destination for visitors, both tourist and local.
The mill buildings and site are owned by Garrabost Mill Trust (GMT), a charitable organisation initially established for the preservation of the mill site, other Garrabost buildings and items of historical interest.
Calum Graham, chairman of the organisation, commented: “Garrabost Mill Trust have plans to develop the whole site as a crofting community heritage centre, building on the significant structural preservation and development work that has been completed to date.
“The core purpose of our work in developing a heritage centre is to provide an illustrative and informative account of the lived experience of crofting, fishing, weaving, industrial enterprises, military and Merchant Navy service, and other activities, here in Garrabost.
“All such activities have been part and parcel of everyday life through the ages in this community as a crofting township in the Western Isles. Our objective is to deliver an exciting, informative experience to visitors, be they locals or tourists”.
The trust has recently received further funding of £83,000 from Highlands and Islands
Enterprise (HIE) which has been matched by community-owned wind farm charity, Point
and Sandwick Trust (PST).
Mr Graham said: “Without the commitment of PST and its initial financial input, the purchase of the Mill and its outbuildings by Garrabost Mill Trust would not have been remotely possible. The additional funding from PST and HIE to date has been vital to our delivering of the project, and we remain grateful to all our funders for their support. Without the avowed support and commitment of PST, this exciting project would not have been feasible.”
Built in 1893, the Garrabost Mill was water powered from a nearby stream and designed to mill crops of oats and barley into a fine flour for local crofters. It remained in commercial operation until 1956. The Garrabost Mill Trust was created in 2021 and is a volunteer run charity.
The 19th century Mill came into community ownership in January 2023 and has since
undergone significant work with re-roofing, improved access, safeguarding the buildings
and improvements to the site at large.
The Garrabost Mill was in commercial operation, milling barley and oatmeal for local crofting communities between 1893 and 1956 and, once fully restored, will offer a unique insight into the lives of the crofting community in Lewis.
The completed site will include visitor access to the restored mill, its operational mill wheel and meal drying floor, with dedicated artwork and visual content reflecting the history of the mill, crofting and early industrial activity in the area.
Outbuildings, built from original bricks made nearby at the former Garrabost Brickworks, have also been restored and will house, among other items, an operational tweed loom and a working model T Ford.
New crofting community heritage centre at historic Garrabost Mill set to open this year
2 April 2025
