James II in 1452 endowed his Queen, Marie, with the annual income from Gogar and its mill.
In 1503 the "wif at the Miln of Gogar" was paid when James IV stopped to quench his thirst.
1569 James Forrester of Corstorphine on 27th August obtained a decreet from the Commissary Court of Edinburgh against James Wynrame in Gogar Mylne and others whose teind sheaves belonged to James as he had a tack of the land. When Forrester’s demand was ignored, James Falconer messenger at arms went to Gogar Mill to execute the order. He took possession of “certain nolt and scheip” and offered them to Wynrame for the sum of money for which they had been seized. Wynrame refused to pay and Falconer took the beasts to Lord Forrester’s “park beside his place in Corstorphine” and left them there “at the gerse” till he could conveniently bring them to the Cross of Edinburgh to sell them.
But Wynrame had friends, William Lauder of Haltoun William Dalmahoy of that ilk, Alexander Wardlaw of Curryhill, Patrick Somerville of Hird,meston (Hermiston) and George Spens of Auldiston (Addiston) with a hundred horsemen and sixteen “hagbuttaris” (musketeers) with all sort of “wappynnis invasive” came next morning “about the sone rysing” to the park of Corstorphine “neir to his mansioun and principal hous of Corstorphine”.There they “violently, be force, reft spulyeit and tuke away” the animals and “dang” the messenger’s servants. Such action “gettumlie dishonorit” Lord Forrester. The offenders were ordered to return the beasts to the messenger at arms and to ensure this was done William Lauder of Haltoun was kept at Stirling till all was settled.
Millers
1603 Agnes Kincaid had tack of the Mill
1629 Alexander Inglis
1639 John Broune
1666 Archibald Broune
1687 David Crawford
1710 Gilbert Laurie
Robert Fiddes died 1721? Aged 72 buried in the churchyard inscription " My Glass is run/Yours is running be/ feard to sin for lud/ gements coming.
---- John Millar
---- Thomas Robertson
1730/41 Robert Downes
1795 Peter Hughes supplied New Saughton (Cammo), with oatmeal. The Hughes family ran the mill into the first half of the 19th century. Henry Hughes buried in the churchyard 1829 aged 85.
Liston’s failed attempt to create a new village was the end of the road for the mill, no new landowner followed to take up the proposals, the few farm workers moved to other areas.
Whilst not specifically recorded about Gogar or any other local Mill the following conditions prevailed in the 18th century and no doubt applied equally well here.
One of the grievous burdens on the peasant farmer of the 18th century was thrilage to mills, by which the tenant was obliged to pay a proportion of the grain produced on his farm to the mill, which had the astriction of his land, besides giving the miller the benefit of his services in keeping the mill in working order*. Competition was not to be feared. Tenants might take their grain elsewhere to be ground but they were still bound in law to pay dues to the mill to which their land was thriled. Farmers using other mills and not paying the necessary dues were dealt with at the local Court.
The proprietor had claim to his share of the produce from the land, the mill owner’s servants who ground the corn claimed a share and a third proportion was collected for grain sold without being ground into meal. Disputes also arose regarding the standards of measurement used by the miller and careless grinding.
Converting grain into meal was by thrashing it with a flail, riddling it and then drying it in the kiln. It was then taken to the mill to be shelled, sifted to remove rough seed ground again and sieved once again to remove any seed. Once the miller and his servant had taken their share it was “free of the mill.”
*They had to repair the dam, clean out the mill lade, repair the roof, and make good any wear and tear on the building.