Turnbull had recommended the building of a linen mill for processing flax in 1768, and Cameron wrote that “a portion of the walls of an older flax mill stands about 20 yards to the north of [the new mill] and forms part of the present miller’s steading.” Turnbull had also thought that “a water mill at Cornaigmore, where there seems to be better fall, or a greater supply of water, would be sufficient for grinding the whole victuals of the island.” Landlords throughout the country were starting to invest in larger, more efficient mills with vertical water wheels. These generated a greater income, and made the tenants less dependent on outside relief in times of poor harvests. By 1771 the 5th Duke had written to his chamberlain asking for plans to be made for such a mill. It took until 1802 for a contractor, James Morrison, to be appointed. The builder, however, disappeared to the Ross of Mull where he was erecting a church. The chamberlain was furious. “Though the milns are very much needed, the least evil may be to postpone the work till next spring and put the old miln in Cornaigmore in the best order it will admit of to grind the crop.” The ‘water wall’ bearing the water wheel had to be built stronger than the rest as it took more strain. The mill was finished in 1803.

Although the water wheel was vertical, gears inside the mill turned the upper horizontal ‘runner’ stone over the stationary lower or ‘nether stone. These were held together by a wooden spindle which was greased with beef suet. The best stone, quarried in pieces and stuck together, came from France, but some of the mill wheels probably came from a sandstone quarry at Inninmore bay, south of the mouth of Loch Aline. The wheels, weighing around 35 cwt., were easier to transport by sea. The grinding surfaces of the stones were ‘dressed’ by the miller every year into an elaborate pattern of channels. Grain was fed in the centre of the upper stone, and the miller controlled the distance between the stones, and consequently the fineness of the meal, with a number of small wedges. The miller could also control the speed of the grinding wheel, by opening a metal hatch before the water hit the wheel. The new mill was powered by water from Loch Bhasapol. Originally a small stream had emptied the loch from where the windsurfing hut is today. This flow was blocked, and the loch level raised by controlling the col-uisge, or sluice gate, at the start of the lade. Even the entry of water into Loch Bhasapol from the Kilmoluaig sliabh was controlled by the miller using a small dam called Garradh a’ Tòrraidh (wall of the mill dam). At the same time on the rest of the island the estate was draining small lochs and marshes to bring land into cultivation as the population soared. The water was led down a sluice to the vertical wheel, which was ‘breast-driven’, hitting the wheel halfway down. This was less efficient that an overshot wheel where the water hit the wheel higher up, but was the best that could be achieved as the loch level is only slightly higher than the mill.

The south end of the mill is taken up with the àth, or drying kiln. Grain had to be dried before milling, and great skill was needed in making sure it did not toast too fast or the flour would be left with a bitter taste. Once the fire was going well it was kept going round the clock. One man, Donald MacDougall (Dòmhnall Chaluim Dhùghallaich) from Cornaigbeg, once slipped on the plates and almost fell into the fire below.

“The kiln at the mill was fired mostly with drift wood [and coal] which was washed ashore during the winter. The grain was poured onto the iron sheets above the kiln and two men, with white cloths tied over their boots, went into this part of the mill with wooden shovels with which they kept turning the grain at intervals until all the grain was toasted brown. At this stage the grain was then ready for milling. The kiln had no chimney and, when fired with the wood, the hot fumes were very sore on the eyes, especially when you went up the wooden stair to the loft and stood at the entrance doorway above the kiln where the seed was being toasted. This door entrance can still be seen in the centre gable inside the mill.”
“I can remember as a boy going into the mill where the kiln was fired and the men were busy toasting the grain, they would give myself and the other boys a handful of grain to eat. I can also remember watching the mill wheel going round and was fascinated by the spray it threw off on a windy day. At school playtime I and the other boys would stand watching it, such was the spectacle. Another recollection is of Hugh MacDonald, a builder from Kenovay, repairing the wooden buckets on the wheel. I don’t ever remember being at the actual milling of the grain as, I presume, children would not have been allowed in then. I can also remember the mill bridge and the bridge at the cross-roads, both made of timber with wooden sides. In 1940 they were replaced with concrete and stone built sides as seen today.” Archie MacKinnon. “There was a chute coming from the top…the miller was all white [when he was grinding]. You’d think he had a white

In 1936 a William Dickie windmill was erected at the north end of Loch Bhasapol. This pumped water from a well into a 1,000 gallon tank in the school attic and this water was used for toilets and cleaning. As the loch water entered the tank, however, it also powered an ingenious wheel which lifted water from the school well for drinking.

‘The new school had outside flushing toilets. The new sanitary offices for the pupils were brought into use yesterday, thus providing them with water-borne sanitation for the first time in the school history of Tiree.’ Cornaigmore School Log, June 2nd 1936.