Arran Industry - Bobbins Multi-Cache

The village of Pirnmill takes its name from the industrial activity that took place here between 1780 and 1840. The location on the Allt Gobhlach and the extensive birch woods along the western shore made this an ideal location for the manufacture of pirns or wooden bobbins which were made on contract to Clarks (latter Coats) of Paisley. Unfortunately 60 years of bobbin making and no replanting of the felled birch woods led to the end of one of John Burrel’s more successful enterprises.

Pirnmill's final claim to fame is as the birthplace of Flora The General Drummond, who was the demonstration organiser for the Women’s Social and Political Union (Suffragettes), and who used her Post Office training to teach the suffragette prisoners in Holloway gaol how to send intelligence by tapping out Morse code messages on the iron pipes.

1. the number of windows on the front of the old mill building
2. the sum of the two numerals of the day William McBride died
3. the fifth number of the Pirnmill red postbox reference code KA*****
4. the righthand number in a white disc on the telegraph pole
5. the unit’s mileage value inscribed on the milepost
6. the number of trefoils on the Rev John Kennedy’s memorial