62 Transactions. 



Both the water-mills on the iJuiiit'ries side were such as would 

 now be considered extremely primitive. They were small build- 

 ings, their roofs — in common probably with the greater part of 

 the town at the time — covered with thatch j and as early as 1661 

 the walls of the Sandbed IMill had become insecure. The Town's 

 Minute Book, under date 10th November of that year, bears : — 

 " Councell ordains the public Treasurer publicklie to cause tlieik 

 the Towne Milns with strae, and to cause under-prop the wall of 

 the Sandbed-mylne until the Spring." 



A little further information may be gleaned, as to the character 

 of the old mills, from statements made, and evidence taken, in 

 the dispute, already referred to, between the Fishery proprietors 

 and the Magistrates. The former represent that the Sandbed 

 Mill, in lieu of which the projected one was being built — " Is of 

 so little use to the Town that she had not been, these eighteen 

 or twenty years, agoing ;" and that — " The Town did not require 

 a new milne, they having both a horse-milne and a watei'-milne 

 besides." On the other hand, the Town Council say that — 

 " Where they were building ane Damm or wall through the 

 water of Nith to serve in ane milne which is also building, for 

 grinding of malt to the inhabitants of the burgh, who are thirled 

 thereto, through that part of the water of Nith belonging to the 

 Town of Dumfries in Property and Superiority, above a stone- 

 cast below a milne and wall and Damm which the Town had 

 upon the same water, which still was sanded and broke with 

 speats and torrents of the water," and further that they " had 

 not the use of any Horse Milne, nor has had this long time, and 

 for their Water Milne she had [gone] about three months of the 

 winter season or thereby, and they have not any going milne at 

 present." The Witnesses deponed that — " The Town of Dum- 

 fries had a milne dam dyke quite through the water of Nith to 

 the Galloway side from the Sandbeds Milne, about 5 feet high 

 above the ground, made up of stain and creills, without lime, 

 but sometimes stopped with fog, and the water was never equal 

 with tlie said dyke in the summer time except in a great speat." 



The Sandbed Mill disappeared long ago, but its situation is 

 described in the Town's Titles as at the east end of, and 

 hard upon, the Bridge of Dumfries, and as extending to Homer 

 Maxwell's house, which stood below the Bridge. 



Last year extensive I'emains of the east abutment of the Old 

 Bridjre were discovered underii'roun;!, between Bridge Street and 



