Long, low roofs and iron ventilators preserve a rare industrial counterpoint to Kirriemuir’s tightly grouped red-stone centre.
Quick facts
- Date
- 1869 and later
- Architect / designer
- Robertson & Orchar
- Type
- Linen and jute works
- Designation
- Listed building, Category C (LB36844)
- OS grid reference
- NO 38602 53795
Architecture and continuing use
A two-storey frontage faces the Gairie Burn, with single-storey weaving ranges and outshots behind. Snecked rubble walls, piended slate roofs and cast-iron cupola ventilators give the complex a disciplined but distinctive industrial profile.
Its story
Robertson & Orchar designed the works in 1869, with later additions serving Kirriemuir’s linen and jute economy. Redevelopment proposals were discussed for many years; council reporting recorded a retail consent that had lapsed and continuing uncertainty over reuse.
Why it is included
Category C listing recognises neat industrial design, surviving mill character and the works’ importance in views across the burn towards the town.
What to notice
- Cast-iron ventilators along the roof ridges.
- The contrast between the taller burn-side block and low weaving sheds.
- Snecked rubble walls and repeated industrial windows.
Reading the surroundings
No public interior access or active visitor use is assumed. View only from lawful public routes, keep clear of vacant or work areas, and do not enter the site without permission.
Timeline
- 1869 Robertson & Orchar designed the principal linen-works ranges.
- Late 19th century Later additions expanded the industrial complex.
- 2010 A retail redevelopment gained permission after appeal.
- 2018 Council monitoring reported that consent had lapsed and reuse remained unresolved.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
The most recent authoritative public evidence located does not establish the site’s exact present occupation or condition.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Gairie Linen Works, LB36844 — Current designation status, official mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- Trove designation: LB36844 — Parallel national record identity and archival context.
- Angus Council: development-plan action programme — Authoritative evidence for stalled redevelopment and unresolved reuse at the Gairie Works.
- Kirriemuir design charrette: Gairie Works options — Council-supported assessment of industrial character and possible mixed reuse.
Location
OS grid reference NO 38602 53795 · Location confidence: High: the current national designation supplies an exact mapped National Grid Reference; public text separately states access and current-use uncertainty. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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