The historical importance of Barrow Mill
Carolyn has her own 2006 photos of the kiln to add.
Barrow Mill was first mentioned in documents in 1712. John and Isabel Anderson moved from Clennell Mill to Barrow Mill in about 1758.
In the 2006 photograph of Barrow Mill below taken from Barrow on the other side of the River Coquet one can see that the Mill buildings are on a platform of land above the river. There is also a track that would have been the channel that led water to, or from the mill. There is also a suggestion that the actual mill may have been a temporary structure between the buildings and the river.
Of historic importance is the surviving base of a rare, early 19th century corn-drying kiln. Due to the cold climate the staple crops were oats and barley that often had to be ripened and dried in the adjacent corn drying kiln prior to milling.
In the 1841 census the Wear family were living at Barrow Mill and we do know when the Andersons left, so we do not know if the Anderson family built the corn-drying kiln. Maybe the kiln that can now be seen was an improved version of the one that the Andersons used.
Sources: various from internet but in April 2022 the best references and photos were unavailable.