Woollen cloth was first manufactured in Stow in 1778. The area was well suited to the industry with easy access to wool, fast running water and the markets in central Scotland.
Although there has been spinning and weaving mills on this site for over 250 years, there have been at least three major fires that destroyed individual buildings. The mill you see in front of you was built in the mid 19th century, most of the other buildings were demolished when the mill ceased production. It was known as Mercer’s Mills after Walter Mercer who took over the mill in about 1854. In its heyday in 1882, the Mill is recorded as employing over 100 people. It produced good quality woollen goods and shirting. Mercers Mills closed down in 1981. People can still remember the hooters marking the beginning and ending of working shifts. There are also people in the village who remember the following rhyme:
Stow is a bonny place,
It lies between twa hills,
And if you want a bonny lass,
Apply to Mercers Mills!
You are welcome to step a few metres into the garden to look at the outside of the mill building but please respect the owner's privacy as this is now a private residence. If there is someone in the garden, please introduce yourself as the owners know about the cache and would be happy to know that people are using it.
This cache is also part of a printed treasure hunt trail for non-GPS users so there may be entries in the logbook that are not geocache logs.