Machinery
Knockando (Scottish Gaelic: Cnoc Cheannachd) is a village in Moray, Scotland. It is a farming centre and the location of both the Knockando distillery and the Tamdhu distillery.
It is also the location of Knockando Wool Mill, which has been producing textiles since 1784 and which achieved national fame as a finalist in the second series of the BBC's Restoration television series in 2004.
Knockando Woolmill sits in the Spey Valley, on the same site it has occupied for over 230 years. Fresh, contemporary designs are woven alongside traditional tweeds and classic woollen blankets - all produced with the same attention to detail and skilled craftsmanship that has been at the heart of the Woolmill since the beginning.
First listed as the 'Wauk Mill' in parish records from 1784, Knockando Woolmill was always at the heart of the community, with local farmers bringing their fleeces to be converted into fabric or knitting yarn. As the industrial revolution crept north, the Woolmill acquired new pieces of equipment, mechanising the labour-intensive processes of carding and spinning that had always been done by hand.
One of the last district mills its kind, the Woolmill was passed down through generations of families up until 2000. By then, the strain of continuous production had taken its toll, and it was recognised that a fundamental overhaul was needed to save the precious machinery and buildings from ruin. The Trust was set up in 2000, and for 12 years they worked hard to renovate the Grade A listed site.
Following the extensive restoration project, during which the Victorian machinery was painstakingly dismantled, repaired and rebuilt, the Woolmill is once again fully operational. Open seasonally since 2012, visitors can experience the sights and sounds of a working Woolmill, learn the rich history of the site and browse the range of quality woollen throws, scarves and accessories.
Here is one of the machines still working
Machinery
Knockando (Scottish Gaelic: Cnoc Cheannachd) is a village in Moray, Scotland. It is a farming centre and the location of both the Knockando distillery and the Tamdhu distillery.
It is also the location of Knockando Wool Mill, which has been producing textiles since 1784 and which achieved national fame as a finalist in the second series of the BBC's Restoration television series in 2004.
Knockando Woolmill sits in the Spey Valley, on the same site it has occupied for over 230 years. Fresh, contemporary designs are woven alongside traditional tweeds and classic woollen blankets - all produced with the same attention to detail and skilled craftsmanship that has been at the heart of the Woolmill since the beginning.
First listed as the 'Wauk Mill' in parish records from 1784, Knockando Woolmill was always at the heart of the community, with local farmers bringing their fleeces to be converted into fabric or knitting yarn. As the industrial revolution crept north, the Woolmill acquired new pieces of equipment, mechanising the labour-intensive processes of carding and spinning that had always been done by hand.
One of the last district mills its kind, the Woolmill was passed down through generations of families up until 2000. By then, the strain of continuous production had taken its toll, and it was recognised that a fundamental overhaul was needed to save the precious machinery and buildings from ruin. The Trust was set up in 2000, and for 12 years they worked hard to renovate the Grade A listed site.
Following the extensive restoration project, during which the Victorian machinery was painstakingly dismantled, repaired and rebuilt, the Woolmill is once again fully operational. Open seasonally since 2012, visitors can experience the sights and sounds of a working Woolmill, learn the rich history of the site and browse the range of quality woollen throws, scarves and accessories.
Here is one of the machines still working