The Finzean Sawmill site includes two water-powered mills, the Sawmill and the Turning Mill. The Sawmill dates from the 1820s and had recently fallen into disrepair when BCT became owner of the site in 1999. The Sawmill is a Grade A listed historic water mill and BCT carried out a major programme of re-construction and repairs to restore the Mill and bring it back into operation.
BCT has operated the Sawmill since then with David Duncan as sawmiller, to cut local timber for a wide range of uses. Most of the timber is pine and larch extracted from the Commonty Pinewoods by BCT. This is used to produce tree stakes, posts, rails, boards and other products for BCT’s own use in its land management and other projects. When the Sawmill was first restored, BCT supplied local oak timber cut at the Mill for the building of the Scottish Parliament. The timber was used for the flooring in the main Chamber around the Presiding Officer’s Chair.