For a stay with an interest in local history, Aberargie offers a clear theme: the connection between the river and the mills. The Water of Farg flows through a narrow valley from the Ochils; its fast current powered Aberargie’s mills. Alongside this use of the water, Wellfield enclosure in the surrounding area offers an archaeological perspective. Together, these bring historical documents into view alongside a landscape feature and visible traces.

Mills in documents and maps

The oldest maps to show Aberargie’s mills date from 1747. Documents signed by King James VI in the 16th century mention the Farg and Pottie Mills. The documentary reference therefore predates the oldest map entry. Accordingly, 1747 is not a founding year, but the date of the oldest maps on which the mills appear. Documents and maps offer two different ways of placing them in context: the documents name the Farg and Pottie Mills, while the maps show mills at Aberargie. Another period relates to their operation: watermills in the area around Aberargie were in operation in the second half of the 19th century and into the early 20th century. This information refers to watermills in the surrounding area, while the oldest maps specifically show Aberargie’s mills.

Place name and river setting

The name Aberargie is interpreted as “mouth or confluence of the River Farg”. For geographical orientation, Aberargie is about 2 km from the confluence of the River Farg and the River Earn. The interpretation of the name and the distance refer to different things: the first concerns the possible meaning of the place name, while the second describes the approximate location relative to where the two rivers meet. The River Farg is thus connected with the name, powered the mills, and is one of the two rivers at the confluence mentioned. These perspectives can be considered together without equating Aberargie with the confluence.

Archaeological traces in the surrounding area

Wellfield enclosure is located in the area around Aberargie, on an old river terrace, and has visible cropmarks. It lies immediately south of the A913 public road between Aberargie and Abernethy. This adds another perspective on the landscape to the history of the mills: the mills highlight the historical use of the current, while Wellfield enclosure features archaeological traces on a river terrace. The road and the river terrace describe different spatial features of the site.

A sense of time and place

Different scales help to put things in context: the dates distinguish between the written reference, the map entry and the later period of operation of watermills in the surrounding area. The approximate distance of 2 km describes Aberargie’s location relative to the river confluence; the A913 locates Wellfield enclosure between Aberargie and Abernethy. The temporal and geographical details therefore answer different questions about the history of the place and its surroundings.

A note about Aberargie Distillery

Aberargie Distillery is located on the Morrison family’s 300-acre farm, just outside Perth. It is not open to the public. So do not plan to visit it as a sightseeing destination; it remains a point of reference for local production.

Discover more destinations: Glenalmond, Luncarty, Pitlochry, Glendevon, Invergowrie, Dull, Comrie, Aberfeldy

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