Mills Now and Then: John O'Groats Mill

About this recording

John O’Groats Mill joined mills across the country in celebrating National Mills Weekend 2026, held on 9–10 May. The weekend brought together local history and community memories of milling in Caithness

As part of the event, John O’Groats Mill hosted a daytime Caithness Mills Reminiscence Session in collaboration with Nucleus: The Caithness Archive and Wick Voices. The day continued with an evening lecture series, “Mills Now and Then,” exploring the history, preservation, and continuing relevance of mills in Caithness.

In this illustrated lecture, Rognvald Brown, chairman of the John O’Groats Mill Trust, brought the story of John O’Groats Mill to life. He traced the wider history of milling in Caithness, from early Norse click mills to larger water-powered mills and reflected on the Houston family’s long association with the site.

He also explained how changing technology, agriculture, and transport shaped the mill’s fortunes over time. His talk highlighted not only the importance of the building itself, but also the community effort that helped save and restore it through the John O’Groats Mill Trust.

National Mills Weekend is organised by the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, known as SPAB. The event celebrates the history, preservation, and continuing relevance of mills across the country. At John O’Groats, the weekend was also a reminder that historic buildings depend on the care, memories, and support of the communities around them.