Rosefield Mills: Riverside Mill, Troqueer Road, Dumfries

Tall 2-storey NE riverside frontage to former woollen mill complex. Symmetrical, Venetian manner, brick with red sandstone dressings. 11 bays, each comprising 2 giant arches enclosing wide single-light windows with moulded lintels at ground floor and 2 arched lights with quatrefoiled tympana over panelled aprons with rosettes set in central diamonds at 1st, arched corbel table above bearing parapet. End bays slightly advanced as corner towers with higher machicolated parapets, 1st floor windows overarched with traceried tympana. Central bay has similar treatment at ground floor, upper floor, treated as rectangular panel containing 4-bay Venetian Romanesque arcade, attached columns with foliate capitals and intersecting ogee arched blind tracery above. Inscription panel, and cartouche with date under small finialled pediment at centre of raised parapet. River facade returns 2 bays beyond the tower at the S end. (Historic Scotland)

February 1997: The mills are brought to the attention of the Buildings at Risk Service by Solway Heritage. 1998: External inspection reveals the mills to be disused and in poor condition. SCT understands that the mixed ownership of the mills and its various tenancies may be frustrating the formulation of a long-term strategy for the buildings. July 1999: External inspection reveals the mills to be in partial use by a car repair business, though they remain in poor condition. November 2003: External inspection reveals that the mills are continuing to deteriorate. July 2005: Building remains at risk

January 2010: A member of the public contacts SCT concerned with the deterioration of the building.

July 2011: External inspection finds the building continues to deteriorate. Most windows have lost their glazing. There are plants on the roof and over parts of the front elevation.

7 May 2014: External inspection finds having deteriorated steadily, the building is approaching Very Poor condition.

9 February 2017: The site is being marketed for sale through auction by Future Property Auctions at a guide price of £95,000.

23 November 2017: Dumfires Historic Buildings Trust, with support from Dumfries and Galloway Council, is exploring options for the restoration of the former mill. Purcell Architects have been engaged to progress a public consultation on possible re-uses of the building.

9 March 2018: BBC news website reports Dumfries Historic Buildings Trust has reached an agreement to purchase part of the former mill.

6 February 2019: Part of the complex is understood to have been purchased by the Dumfries Building Preservation Trust - the ornamental façade (to the riverside elevation) and three bays/sheds. Other parts of the mill site are in separate ownership.

14 January 2022: A member of the public contacts BARR with images of the property to advise the roof has collapsed.

2 August 2024: BBC news reports (12/01/2024) that Dumfries Historic Buildings Trust is proposing a phased approach to returning the building to use. A workshop has been brought back into use at the back of the building and two new spaces are now open for community and commercial uses.