Profile
Barony Mill is a fabulous restored and operational watermill on the west of Mainland Orkney. Barony has been milling Orkney bere using solely water- power since 1873 and must not be missed when visiting Orkney.
At the mill the locally grown bere is milled into flour, flakes and delightful bere berries. The former are perfect for breads and bannocks, coating and baking, whilst the bere berries are perfect for risottos, broths and casseroles.
Beremeal is a heritage flour made from Bere, an old variety of six-row barley with an earthy, slightly astringent, nutty flavour and rich brown hue. Traditionally used to make a bannock, a specialty of Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles. Beremeal was widely used throughout Scotland where bere barley bannocks were eaten as the main bread. Hand mills or querns produced Beremeal for household purposes while watermills produced meal on a larger scale. Beremeal is now solely produced commercially at Barony Mill and available from their bonnie on site shop or online where it can be mailed to you. Their shop also sells tea towels and other souvenirs of your visit.
The current miller Alister Harcus learnt his skills from Rae Phillips, whose father and grandfather were millers at Barony Mill before him. Alister carries on the tradition with enthusiasm and knowledge, creating a unique product appreciated by cooks and chefs. The lands around the Mill are fertile and at certain times of the year can be seen with stretches of golden bere swaying in the breeze before harvest. Long ago it was inhabited by the rulers of Orkney – the history of Orkney stretches back to very ancient times.
Open every day from May until September, you can tour this amazing historic mill and discover how grain from the fields becomes food for your table. Tours are priced very reasonably and worth every penny, these donations going towards the Birsay Heritage Trust, a registered Scottish charity that operates the mill.
Delicious locally made biscuits, oatmeal and The Book of Bere, all about this fascinating grain, are also on sale.
Other recipe suggestions with Orkney bere…
Orkney Boreray Mutton with Bere Puddings
