Water mill - horizontal-wheeled

The National Monuments Service's description

In wet pasture, located on a small N-flowing stream, just below the point where a number of smaller streams joined the main stream. The Mullaghanol River is c. 60m to W.
This horizontal water mill has uncovered at a depth of c. 1m below ground surface during reclamation/drainage operations undertaken by a mechanical digger in 1982. The discovered was reported to the National Museum. One timber remained in situ at the stream, probably part of the wall of the mill-house. Fourteen timbers were displaced during the works. The majority of the timbers were in a damaged and fragmentary condition, but six were almost intact and these were removed to the National Museum for preservation. Two of these six timbers are large solid timber beams (L 2.8-3m; Wth 0.4-0.42m; T 0.19-0.23m), one with a tenon (L 0.22m; Wth 0.1m); these are likely to have formed part of the wall or roof of the mill-house. Three thinner planks (L 1.8-2m; Wth 0.36-0.57m; T 0.06-0.12m) may have been floor planks; one plank has a tenon projecting from the underside, and another plank has a tenon at both ends and a fragment of a connecting timber projecting outwards at an angle. The sixth timber (L 1.8m; Wth 0.4m; T 0.07m) is part of the head-race: it is hollowed-out, giving it raised sides, and narrows towards one end; the narrow end has a tenon, which would have allowed it to be connected either to another section of the head-race or to the flume.
Two millstones were also found. The larger one (diam. 63m; T 0.06m) has one smooth surface and a central perforation (diam. 0.1m), and is likely to have been the upper stone of a grinding pair. The second millstone (diam. 0.3m; T 0.07m) is smaller, with an irregular outline, a small central perforation, a rough upper surface with a rounded profile, and a worn surface on the underside. (SMR file; unpublished NMI Correspondence Files).

Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 2 October 2020