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Dumfries, Whitesands Caul

Weir (18th Century)

Site Name Dumfries, Whitesands Caul

Classification Weir (18th Century)

Alternative Name(s) Devorgilla Bridge; River Nith; The Caul; Dumfries Harbour; River Nith Cauld

Canmore ID 65518

Site Number NX97NE 122

NGR NX 96957 75988

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/65518

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Administrative Areas

  • Council Dumfries And Galloway
  • Parish Dumfries
  • Former Region Dumfries And Galloway
  • Former District Nithsdale
  • Former County Dumfries-shire

Archaeology Notes

NX97NE 122 96957 75988

Weir [NAT]

OS 1:2500 map, 1965.

Caul [NAT]

OS 1:10,000 map, 1991.

For (adjacent and possibly-associated) Town Mills (NX 97008 75878), see NX97NE 104.

Not to be confused with (predecessor) Stakeford Caul (NX c. 971 765), for which see NX97NE 731.

See also NX97NE 125.

The caul on the Nith below Devorgilla Bridge is of early origin, built originally of stakes, but reconstructed many times in timber and rubble. Although the lade is infilled, the site of the sluice gate at the S end of the caul can still be seen.

I Donnachie 1971.

[Noted as part of Dumfries harbour, NX97NE 125]. The Caul is not, strictly speaking a part of the harbour installations, but it calls for notice on account of its effect on the river. About 1660, the Stakeford Caul (NX97NE 731), built in the 1520's, seems to have been falling out of use, and in 1661-2 large sums were spent on a caul which must have been in a different position from the old one. That is to say, in 1704, when a caul was required to serve a new mill and to divert part of the main current of the river, which was eroding the left-bank foreshore below the Old Bridge (NX97NE 26), a cut more than 1007 yards [91.5m] was made on the right [W] bank 'a stone's throw below the old caul'; but as the 16th century work have been nearly half a mile upstream it cannot be the work referred to, and the 17th century must therefore have been close to that of 1704. This latter was of timber, and when it was wrecked by ice in the winter of 1710-11 the Council decided not to rebuild it, but to heighten and strengthen the structure 'a stone's throw' above it. As the work so rebuilt has helped to preserve the adjoining left-bank [E} foreshore, where vessels habitually tied up, it may properly be regarded as an early measure of improvement.

A Graham and A E Truckell 1977 (visited 1975).

This stone weir spans the River Nith to the SE of the Old (Devorgilla) Bridge (NX97NE 26). Aligned N-S, it runs at an angle across the river, which here forms the boundary between the parishes of Troqueer (to the W) and Dumfries (to the E). It presumably formed the upper limit of Dumfries Harbour (NX97NE 125), but is not noted by J R Hume (1976).

The location assigned to this record defines the midpoint of the structure. The available map evidence suggests that it extends from NX c. 96952 76037 to NX c. 96968 75930.

This weir may have controlled the supply of water to the Town Mills (NX 97008 75878), for which see NX97NE 104.

Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 17 March 2006.

Activities

Publication Account (2007)

This weir was built in 1705 to divert water from the Nith, which was causing erosion of the area known as Whitesands on the east bank. In 1707 Matthew Frew built a mill on the west bank and made use of the diverted water. The weir was often breached by Nith flood water between 1730 and the 1760s. In 1760 Smeaton was

consulted about the state of the river on navigation and erosion prevention issues. In 1768 Smeaton reported on the condition of the weir. The mill was renewed in 1769 at a cost of £990 by East Linton millwright Andrew

Meikle and the weir refurbished as necessary, essentially as it is now. In the early 20th century the lade supplied water to power a low-head turbine driving a 100kW DC generator in the mill which supplied electricity to the Troquair area of Maxwellton. This was abandoned in 1922 and the building is now Dumfries Museum’s Burns Centre.

R Paxton and J Shipway 2007

Reproduced from 'Civil Engineering heritage: Scotland - Lowlands and Borders' with kind permission from Thomas Telford Publishers.

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