Pointing and harling advice:

Knockando Woolmill

Knockando, Speyside

Our role: Heritage consultant
Client: Mansell PLC, on behalf of the Knockando Woolmill Trust
Scope: Inspection of external finishes, mortar sampling and analysis, repair specification
Status: Category A listed

LTM Consultancy was appointed by Mansell PLC, on behalf of the Knockando Woolmill Trust, to advise on the external masonry finishes to Knockando Woolmill, Cottage and House. The complex lies in the Spey Valley, is category A listed, and is of international significance as one of a few surviving small scale woollen mills in the world.

Knockando Woolmill, Knockando, Speyside — photograph 1

Knockando Woolmill, Knockando, Speyside — photograph 2

The challenge

Any repair had to respect what was already there. We needed to understand which harling and paint finishes the buildings had carried before, and then choose mortars that would work in difficult conditions, particularly for repointing stonework in a very wet environment next to the watermill.

Our solution

We carried out a detailed inspection of the external walls of each building to identify earlier harling and paint finishes, and used that to shape conservation and repair strategies. A comprehensive mortar sampling exercise recorded the materials that were there, and some samples were analysed to establish what they were made of. That information informed the specification of repair materials and methods that would be compatible with the historic fabric. For the repointing next to the watermill, we evaluated the properties of different mortar types carefully before selecting a suitable one.