Justice Mill Brae/Union Glen
E54
DescriptionSite of Lower or Nether Justice Mills, depicted on the OS 1st and 2nd edition maps. These show a T-plan mill to the southeast of a millpond. During ground disturbance for the construction of a block of flats in September 2000, Aberdeen City Council Archaeological Unit recorded a water course 2m north of the Union Glen frontage. It was not possible to determine its full profile from the small section excavated, but it was filled with grey silt. To the north of this feature, thin layers of alternate clean light brown sand and grey silt were seen in section within the natural subsoil. The watercourse which was to become the mill burn (now running within a culvert under Union Glen) appeared to have overflowed many times during the development of the surrounding subsoil, causing thin bands of silt and sand to be visible in the subsoil. This substantial watercourse was to form the main water supply for the Lower Justice Mills during the medieval and post-medieval period. Unfortunately no structures associated with the mill were found during this assessment. The presence of up to 1m depth of 18th to 19th-century garden soil confirms the cartographic evidence that this area was within a garden during the post-medieval period. It is possible that archaeological remains were cleared from the site prior to it being established as a garden, but no evidence of this was seen. It is assumed therefore that this area had not supported substantial buildings prior to its current development, and that the area was open land adjacent to the mill in the medieval period. Archaeological assessment by A Cameron in June 2001 of an area on the corner of Justice Mill Brae and Union Glen upstanding walls of the early 19th-century Justice Mill were recorded. The Cinema building was converted into a leisure centre and the excavation took place in the area which was to become the car park for this development. Excavation revealed demolition material from this later mill but no evidence of an earlier structure was recorded, suggesting that no parts of an earlier mill were incorporated into the new buildings. The earliest reference to the Justice Mills is 1398. Foundations of the 19th-century mill were recorded in several trenches and finds were mainly 19th and 20th century in date, including in one trench the skeleton of a horse. See also NJ90NW1161Location InfoNational Grid Reference: NJ 9337 0562
Easting: 393370.531974498, Northing: 805624.103318546
Postcode:AB11 6EY
NotesCameron, A. (2000b) 'Justice Mill Brae/Union Glen, Aberdeen (Aberdeen parish), assessment', Discovery Excav Scot, vol. 1, 2000. Page(s): 7 Cameron, A. (2001b) 'Justice Mill Brae, Aberdeen City (Aberdeen parish), assessment', Discovery Excav Scot, vol. 2, 2001. Page(s): 7Reference Numbers
- NJ90NW1164
- 171989
- NJ90NW1164
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