Suggestion to build a tileworks at Carmyllie, Arbroath, Angus
Were these works ever built – from research they were probably not.
21/01/1860 – Arbroath Guide – Carmyllie. Tile making – an important suggestion. Sir, would you allow me a comer of your paper merely to drop a hint to that benefactor of the human race, the tile maker? If an enterprising person would examine our muirs in this quarter he would find plenty of the proper clay for tile making and I believe that a lease could be got of a spot fit for tilework, say nearly in the centre of the parish, which would benefit the landlord even more than the tenant. I shall here submit a few particulars. Our parish contains at least twenty square miles, all of which is in a state as if vainly trying to recover from the effects of a deluge, for most of the land in cauld Carmyllie ‘greets a winter and girns a simmer’. Now as the old tacks are nearly expired, our parish must be thoroughly drained, else the new rents cannot be paid. From the Centre of the parish, the nearest tilework to the west is Fotheringham, distant six miles; and to the east, Leysmill, also six miles distant, and some people prefer going four miles farther, even to Arniston, where an excellent article is obtained. Now it is obvious at first right that, with all these obstacles in the way, we cannot get on with improvements nearly so fast as many districts which have a tilework in their midst and were a tilework set a going is there not everything promising to ensure great success? Take an instance. The parish of Inverarity a few years ago was the very seat of mildew and hoar frost. Now since its flourishing tilework has been in operation only a few years, it has become one of the finest districts is Scotland both for agricultural produce and the health of its inhabitants.. Our parish is very healthy at present, owing to its high situation and if it were thoroughly drained I venture to predict that it would soon become a famed place for health, so much so that the weekly part of the inhabitants of the neighbouring towns, would resort for the pure element of air. I have only suggested this important subject and would be very happy if an abler person would take it up and do it more justice, as I am confident it deserves investigation.