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Stoneywood Paper Mill Lade Culvert(s)

Stoneywood, NW of Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire.

Concrete mill lade, partially culverted (late 19th, early 20th century).

The 1.2km-long main Mill Lade still runs largely parallel to the River Don from the upper weir near Stoneywood House to a point 0.3km SE of Waterton House where it re-enters the Don. This artificial waterway, which is almost entirely above ground, extends through the main Stoneywood Paper Mill where a ca. 100m long section is culverted at multiple points (between NJ 8985 1093 & NJ 8979 1087, although the extent of the roof has varied over time).

A short subsidiary channel that branched off from the main lade at NJ 8989 1114 was also culverted for ca. 20-40m, part of which was pictured by Cameron, 2004 (see Image 1) during a survey prior to construction of a proposed biomass plant. This culverted section is approx. 2 m high, 4-5 m wide.

Alternative Names: Stoneywood Paper Mill Lade

Notes: A smaller paper mill was previously located south of Waterton House. Water was supplied to this by the 'Mill Dam' pond at Waterton that was fed by a diversion of the Green Burn. This pond is not to be confused with a separate pond of the same name within the grounds of Stoneywood House, north of the main mill. The latter has a sluice (NJ 8968 1124) able to pipe water down to a series of artificial lagoons located ca. 40m to the SE.

Stoneywood Paper Mill is a paper mill on the outskirts of Aberdeen, established in 1710 by James Moir. It is now the only remaining paper mill on the River Don, although it was mothballed by latest owners Arjowiggins in 2022 following a period of administration.

The coordinates given by Cameron (2004) appear to be a reference to the paper mill, not the inlet. The given coordinates for this entry are those of the lade entrance shown by Cameron. The main culvert can be seen to begin at NJ 89859 10934.

Hydrographic Feeds: River Don

Hydrographic Resurgences: River Don