The Hooking corn mill is a fine example of an early nineteenth century watermill, located close to the south-eastern shoreline of Linklet Bay (NGR HY 76645 53384). A mill race runs immediately to the north of the mill, linking the Loch of Hooking with Mill Bay.
The building is part of Hooking farm and is a Category ‘C’ Listed Building (LB 6192). The site was visited by the ORCA team and local volunteers in September 2024.
The mill is a well-preserved, single-storey building with original crow-stepped gables at its northwest and southeast ends, and a flagstone roof that has been recently restored (Fig 1).
Two large external doorways, with dressed round-arches, are set in the north-east and south-west sides of the building (Fig 2). Another doorway, capped by a substantial stone lintel, leads into the south-east gable.
The wheel-pit survives alongside the north-west gable and spaces in the stonework were likely associated with the operation of the water wheel (Fig 3).
The wheel was powered by water from Hooking Loch. Although no longer in place, timber wheel fragments were identified in a nearby field (Fig 4).
The mill race is a well-built, flagstone-lined channel, with stone capping at its north end providing a crossing point. The remains of a cast iron mechanism associated with the sluice survive just above the water surface. The original machinery within the mill was removed during the twentieth century.
The remains of a linear earthwork were visible running to the south-east from the head race (Fig 5; above right) and would have served the dual purpose of preventing flood waters inundating the mill and farm buildings, as well as retaining excess water for use in powering the mill.