METHIL, FIFE    The Kirkland Works has been classified as a Flax Dressing Shop (19th Century), a Linen Or Flax Manufacturing Site (19th Century), and a Sailcloth Factory (19th Century). An alternative name was the Kirkland Flax Spinning Mill.
   Kirkland Works is depicted and named on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 6-inch county map (Fife and Kinross, 1855, sheet 25). As a weaving mill, a hackling mill and sailcloth and linen manufacture, bleaching mill and spinning mills all suggesting flax processing into textiles. By 1885, the site is shown as 'Kirkland Works (Disused)'. By 1906, the site was partially occupied by the National Steel Foundry, replacing the Kirkland Works spinning mills buildings.

    By the 18th century the Leven, which has its source at Loch Leven, was one of Scotland’s most intensively harnessed rivers as a source of water power. Rennie reported in 1810 that the surface of the loch could safely be lowered 2 1/2 ft to reclaim more than 500 acres of land and, by canalising and regulating the winding river at its outlet, still be of advantage to mill owners. In 1813, 40 mills down to the sea were valued at £176 220. In all they had about 360 ft of falls, those with 20 ft or more included Kirkland Flax Spinning Mill. But it was not until 1827 that the Leven Improvement Act eventually enabled the water level of the loch to be lowered 4 1/2ft, and an additional 4 1/2 ft, in effect a reservoir under the control of the mill owners, providing a regular supply of 5000 cu. ft per minute.
    Regulation was achieved by means of powerful sluices at the outlet of the loch at the head of a new, straight, ‘cut’, 32 ft wide and nearly four miles long, replacing the river to Auchmuirbridge. The engineer initially was James Brown. In 1828 the value of the water power of each of the mills on the Leven was reassessed by Robert Thom of Rothesay and Geo. Moon of Russel Mill at a total of more than £2200 per annum.

  Methil docks were primarily used for the export of Coal, lots of it, with some flax imports.

Russian Flax Bale Seals in the Methil Heritage Centre
#	OBVERSE  click thumbnail		REVERSE click thumbnail			Notes
LWMCH 01	no photo	ЛД = LD Е.МАРТИНО (E.MARTINOV) H63	no photo	SPB NP.3 W.H. 1831	63 post (flax)	Methil, Fife 1 LWMCH: Unaccess No 01
LWMCH 02	no photo	ЛД = LD Н.АРѢФЬЕВЪ (N.AREF'EV) H88	no photo	NP ?F12H 1790	88 post (flax)	Methil, Fife 2 LWMCH: Unaccess No 02
LWMCH 03	no photo	АРХ БРА ДЕСЯТСК МАТВЕИ МУТЬЯН (MATVEI MUT'YAN)	no photo	АРХ БРА ЧЕСКА 3СОРТЪ Е.П.  1879	ARCH BRAK CHESKA (flax) 3 SORT E.P. 1879	Methil, Fife 3 LWMCH: Unaccess No 03
LWMCH 04	no photo	ЛД = LD С.НЕЛОВЪ (S.NELOV) H43	no photo	NP ????H 18??	43 post (flax)	Methil, Fife 4 LWMCH: Unaccess No 04
LWMCH 05	no photo	ЛД = LD И.ФИЛАТОВЪ (I.FILATOV) H89	no photo	NP AK9H 18??	89 post (flax)	Methil, Fife 5 LWMCH: Unaccess No 05