Heritage Forum

The History of the Falls

Bridgend Dam was constructed in 1787 to provide a head of water for two of the water mills in the village of Lochwinnoch. Water was carried by a lade to the mills but the lade has been filled except for a short section adjacent to the falls. The dam is a grade B listed structure and together with the lade is a one of the few surviving examples of the many dams and lades which were constructed around the village in the days of water-power.

The dam structure is a horizontal curvature arch constructed of sandstone blocks about 0.7m in thickness on a rock foundation. A second row of stones is visible on the upstream face although it is not clear if these extend down to the rock base. The basic structure is sound apart from some minor leakage. However, most of the top course of the main wall and about one third of the stone from the upstream wall have been removed either by the force of the river or by the passage of large trees down the river or possibly by vandals. Many of the remaining stones have been loosened or badly eroded by the flow of water. The abutments of the dam require additional stonework and pointing of existing stonework. The upstream side of the falls has been full of gravel up to the sill level for some years.