IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
DOUNE, FK16 6AG

Where the water of life comes from.

The big building in the distance was a cotton mill which closed in 1965. It was swiftly converted into a distillery.

Highland malt whisky is distilled here in this former mill which was built by the Buchanan Brothers in 1785. It became Britain's first "integrated cotton mill"

"This is one of those beautifully situated and admirably regulated great manufacturing establishments which it is a pleasure to see, on account of the general arrangements of every department of this extensive work, as well as the happiness which a numerous population engaged in the pursuits of industry apparently enjoy. The apartments in the mill first erected are not equal in height nor in other respects to those of the works lately erected; but the whole are clean, well ventilated, and have the machinery well fenced. The preparing-rooms in the lately erected part of the work are, owing to the superior construction of the fanners, which blow the whole of the dust to the open-air, more thoroughly freed from the impurities generally prevailing in the preparation-rooms than those in any factory where we have hitherto been. Indeed, I ought more properly to have said, which was literally the case, that there was no appearance of dust nor of impure air in those preparing-rooms. Even in the web-dressing-room a fanner is most usefully employed in dissipating the noxious heat and moisture. (...) The windows, instead of being constructed in the usual way in many of the mills which we have seen, so that only a single pane of glass in each window can be opened, are so hung that the whole of the upper part of each window may be let down from the top, and a free current of air admitted." -- Report of the Commissioners on Conditions in Factories, Parliamentary Papers, 1833

Passing Deanston Distillery.

One of Scotland's biggest cotton mills for almost two centuries, from 1785 to 1965. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deanston It is now a distillery.

Information board detailing the history of the site from its beginnings as a cotton mill in 1795 to the present day. Deanston War Memorial is incorporated into the fabric of the building.

Memorial to the men of Deanston who died in the two world wars. It is incorporated into the mill building. It can be read more easily by downloading a large-sized image which can be accessed via the 'More sizes' button above the image frame.

The distillery at Deanston was originally a cotton mill, but was transformed into its current use in the 1960s.

Deanston Distillery incorporates some of the buildings of the former Adelphi Cotton Mill, founded in 1785 by the Buchanan brothers, apprentices of Richard Arkwright, who invented the "Spinning Jenny". Arkwright designed the Adelphi Mill, covering the weaving hall roof with earth and a garden to keep the hall cool. In more recent times, the hall's consistent temperature has been ideal for the storage of maturing whisky.