the orry mill
Glasgow
The name ‘The Orry Mill’ refers to the open space in Eaglesham known as ‘The
Orry’ (Old Scots for 'area') in which there are the remains of a cotton mill.
The mill and the village were designed by Lord Alexander Eglinton, but built by
his brother Archibald. The Eglinton family were responsible for a series of
cotton mills and key agricultural developments throughout the late 18th and
early 19th Century. The area of Busby, Eaglesham, Clarkston and Newton Mearns as
small villages all had water powered cotton mills, and this drove the
development of these villages, the buildings, geography and layout as we see it
now. The Orry Mill was started simply to be a lovely wee shop that sought to
share our love of crafting and colour with the local community. The shop was to
be more than a retail outlet, a place to visit and spend time in, to leave
having learnt something new, or to have found something that inspired you just a
little bit. We wanted to have a shop that was full of colour, where you would be
surrounded by quality vibrant yarn, yet also be a calming, inspiring and tactile
place where we curate a range of lovely things for people to craft with, and to
provide support and advice to create something at a pace that suits you. The
wider benefits of crafting are a given to all those that are already passionate
about it, and there is real-world evidence that taking time to craft and develop
your practice, is beneficial to your health. It creates ‘head-space’ to reflect,
focus and quiet the busy mind in our unsettled times. These deliberate pauses we
carve out for ourselves can be nurturing for body and mind and if we can help to
encourage and support creating the time, space, and tools to do that, then that
would make us very happy indeed.
