For centuries, Colinton relied on local mills and associated trades as the backbone of its economy. Here are some of the major mill-based industries that shaped the village over time:
Colinton’s Mills
- Colinton Dell Mills date back to the 1600s, producing snuff and paper
- Spylaw Mills operated from 1500s; main production was linen and wool
- The mills used power harnessed from the Water of Leith
Associate trades
- Smuggling: Tobacco and alcohol illegally brought from mills to city
- Wool and weaving: Cashmere shawls made here up through 1800s
- Gunpowder works: Mills involved in making explosives in 1800s
- Crops such as hay and cereals, grown locally, were milled
- The Colinton Inn proved a rest stop for those transporting Mill goods
Though no longer powered by water mills, Colinton still bears the imprint of these past mill-centred enterprises that drove its growth and development.