Deanston Distillery - Deanston Village

Deanston Village

In a similar way to David Dale’s model community at New Lanark, Deanston village was built by mill owners James Finlay & Co to provide housing for the workers. The first houses were erected in 1811 - common entrances gave way to self-contained apartments, with attics for drying clothes and storage, and good coal-burning ranges were provided. Nearly every able-bodied woman worked in the mill; therefore easily run homes were an investment for the company. A local school was provided and is still educating the future generation to this day. Young children attended school from age five and were expected to read and do sums before entering the mill when they were nine. Children between the ages of 13-16 attended an evening school four days a week. A communal washhouse, drapery, post office, savings bank and grocery shops were also built in Deanston. By 1844, the mill employed 1100 people, many of whom were women and children.

Little has changed in Deanston village since the days of the cotton mill. A large proportion of the village is currently listed, marking its special architectural and historic interest. The vaulted warehouse, weir, and old spinning mill are Grade A listed buildings, and Deanston School and the village cottages are Grade C listed. The distillery still keeps the river bank tidy, cuts the grass on behalf of the village, and is still very much an integral part of the Deanston community.