62 Transactions. 
Both the water-mills on the Dumfries 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; and as early as 1661 
the walls of the Sandbed Mill had become insecure. The Town’s 
Minute Book, under date 10th November of that year, bears :—- 
“ Councell ordains the public Treasurer publicklie to cause theik 
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 water-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 the 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 remains of the east abutment of the Old 
Bridge were discovered underground, between Bridge Street and 
