The River Leven: Dillichip Lade and a skimmer

Image: © Lairich Rig Taken: 14 Aug 2010

The cycle route (NCN Route 7) can be seen on the left, between the houses of the Cordale and the River Leven. Projecting into the river here is a stone structure, only uncovered when the water level is fairly low. Locally, such structures were called "skimmers", which well describes their role in diverting water from the river; for another view, showing it more clearly, see Image The one in the present photograph diverted water under the narrow neck of Cordale Point. Cordale Point was formerly occupied by industrial buildings (built for the textiles industry, and later employed as barracks) see Image for further information. The skimmer directed water into a lade (the Cordale lade, known popularly as Ritchie's Lade – see Image), which served the Cordale Print and Dye Works. On the other side of the neck of Cordale Point, two sluices can be seen at the riverside; these were the corresponding outflow points for the lade. [Another skimmer, quite similar to this one, can also be seen, when the water level is low enough, at the intake of the lade at Dalquhurn (see Image and Image).] Just right of centre in the present photograph, there is what looks like an island in the middle of the Leven. This is just the near end of a crescent of land; between it and the other side of the river is Dillichip lade, which was about 300 metres long, and which served the Dillichip Dye Works. Bonded warehouses now stand on the far side of the river; see Image Carman Hill and Overton Muir can be seen in the background, as well as the Image

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