Lady Seaforth was referring to the horizontal mills, often misleadingly called Norse Mills, of which 250 are recorded on Lewis, according to Dr Finlay Macleod, who is chairman of the group which restored the Mill and Kiln in Shawbost. This provides visitors with a chance to see the community mills which served villages throughout Lewis. The local mills formed a key part of the subsistence economy of the countryside.
At the time Lady Seaforth wrote, many landowners saw themselves as leading the forces of progress. The industrial revolution was in full swing in Manchester, the first freight railways were in use, and the agricultural revolution of the 18th Century had demonstrated huge increases in production. The landowners were convinced that only large scale production of flour was viable and would help generate greater economic activity - and also increase their own wealth. In pursuit of this and also to recoup the investment in the new mill the landowners forbade the use of local mills, which were often destroyed by estate staff. The Mill is also known as Latta's Mill possibly to commemorate the death of John Latta who was killed in an accident at the Mill in 1834.
