During 1859, the Bridge Mill or formerly Brig Mylne on the northwest side of Crossbasket Estate was described locally as “An Old Corn Mill now used for grinding and cutting by machine saws, logwood, Boxwood, Limewood and other woods used for dyeing purposes. It is bought by the proprieter J. Clarke Esqr. of Crossbasket. The greater part of this Mill is in East Kilbryde. The part which is Blantyre parish, is a wooden shed kept for holding the ground Dyewood. There is a dwelling house about 6 chains west of the Mill, which bears the same name and is occupied by workmen of the Mill.”
The Bridge Mill was located over the River Calder and was accessed by a small wooden bridge to the North of the Tower. Likely dating back to the time of the Peters of Crossbasket, it had been substantially altered and mechanized by Charles McIntosh for the purposes of his experiments. In particular, a large, very deep hole containing a vertical drive shaft, powered by water. The mill is shown on 1824 maps, the outlet is pictured here below. Clear water from the Lees Burn flows into the muddier Calder River behind the tower. The rocks that the water flows between are known as the “Pillow Rocks”.
From “The History of Crossbasket Castle” by Paul Veverka (c) 2015