muileann-brà

sm Quern, (for illustrations and names of parts see brà). The quern was formerly the only mill for corn-grinding used in the Gàidhealtachd. It is still in use in many parts of northern Europe and in Asia, and the “two women grinding at the mill” (quern) may be seen today in Nazareth exactly as they were in the days of Christ. The implement consists of two stones, the lower being about two feet in diameter and commonly hollowed to the depth of about six inches. This hollow is of equal depth and diameter. Within this is placed horizontally, a smooth round flag about four inches thick and so fitted to the cavity that it can just revolve with ease. Through the centre of this revolving flag there is bored a hole for conveying the grain. In the lower stone, in the centre of its cavity, there is fixed a wooden pin on which the upper stone is placed in such exact equiponderance, that, though there be some friction from their contact, a little force applied will make the upper stone revolve for several times, when there is no grain underneath. On the surface of the upper stone and near the edge, are two or three holes, just deep enough to hold in its place the stick by which it is turned round. The working of the quern is left to the women, two of whom, when the grain is properly dried, sit squatting on the ground, with the quern between them and singing loudly an appropriate song, perform their work, one turning round the stone with the handle placed in one of the holes and the other dropping the corn in through the large hole. The law of Scotland attempted in vain to discourage the use of the quern. In the year 1248 it was enacted “that no man shall presume to grind quheit, mais-loch or rye, with hand mylnes, except he be compelled by storm. And be in lack of mylnes quhilk should grind the samen; and in this case, if a man grinds at hand-mylnes, he shall give the threttein measure as multer; and gif any man contraveins this our prohibition, he shall tyne his hand-mylnes perpetuallie.”

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