Grocer's Mill

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Grocers' Mill is aligned N-S along the west side of Edenreagh Road at its junction with Whitehill Road, a short distance SW of Mill Bridge over the Muff Glen River. The complex comprises (1) a three- and 3½-storey mill, (2) abutting three-storey mill store, (3) abutting two-storey dwelling house, and (4) detached single storey outbuilding. Across the road, opposite the mill to E, is a farmyard. At S is an entrance driveway to Templemoyle House. The ground rises steeply at W to another farmyard. To north are fields.

1. Mill, kilns and store
A three-storey, three-bay former corn mill with 3½-storey section to middle. This section ranges in date from pre-1800 to 1870s. The three-storey S section (kilns) and higher middle section (mill) are both two openings wide, and the N section (store) has four opes. The kilns are contained in the S section, and the waterwheel was formerly behind ope 5 at ground level (as counted from S end).
Pitched natural slate roofs with plastic RWGs to front. Rubble stone walls (with vestiges of whitewash). The raised part of the middle section has brick quoins and all have brick eaves. Unless otherwise stated, all opes have flat brick heads and jambs, and the windows have concrete cills. All the sheeted timber doors and window shutters are recent replacements.
On the E (front) elevation, the GF of the S section has a double-leaf door to centre, with original semicircular brick relieving arch and new concrete head (replacing timber). It is flanked to each side by a timber-headed window ope (no cills), infilled with rubble stone. There is a loading door and shuttered window ope to each of the upper floors. The FF also has traces of two smaller earlier opes, both long infilled with rubble stone.
The middle section has a wide double-leaf door at left (with brick relieving arch and new concrete head). At right is a smaller doorway (with shallow brick relieving arch and timber head); it has traces of an infilled ope to its left. There are two shuttered windows to FF and to SF but no opes to the attic floor. The left-hand FF window ope has a pattress plate to its left.
The clear wall break and stonework detail between the middle and N section indicates that the latter section was added. It has a shuttered window at left in what was originally a larger opening (and behind which is the waterwheel pit). Next along is a brick-infilled wide doorway with a metal girder head; this is an enlargement of a narrower original. Next along is shuttered window and then a three-centred coach entrance at right. There are three shuttered windows and a loading door to FF and four shuttered windows to SF.
The S gable of the S and middle sections have no openings.
The W (rear) elevation is cut into the slope such that only the upper floors of the middle and S sections are visible. An earthen ramp from the road leads up to FF level. The FF and SF of the S and middle sections are abutted by a monopitched corrugated-metal shed (1a).
The FF of the S section has a sheeted timber door giving access to the two internal drying floors, with a window ope to each side. There is also a window to the FF middle section, and a large opening beyond (with metal beam head). The latter is an enlargement of a smaller original opening and extends up to SF to accommodate the intake end of a relatively modern grain dryer. There is also a loading door and various window opes to SF. The attic floor has no opes.
The exposed part of the N section's W elevation was partly obscured by vegetation. Internal observations shows blocked windows to GF, shuttered windows and a loading door to FF and shuttered windows to SF.
The N gable of the N section is abutted at its W end by the mill store. The exposed section of gable has a doorway to GF (six-panel door marked "Mens Mess") and loading door to FF. The exposed gable of the raised middle section has two small window opes.

Roof: Natural slate.
Rainwater goods: Half-round plastic.
Doors: Replacement timber.
Windows: Replacement timber shutters.

2. New store
A three-storey, single-bay store added to the W half of the mill's N gable in 1887; now disused. Its back wall extends beyond the line of the mill's W elevation, but it is the same height.
Hipped natural slate roof (in poor repair at rear). Half-round plastic gutter and down pipe to front elevation. Random rubble wall (with vestiges of whitewash) with brick eaves and quoins. Unless otherwise stated, all openings have flat brick heads and brick jambs, and the windows have concrete cills.
The GF of the E elevation has a wide timber-headed doorway at left, now infilled with concrete blockwork and a small door inserted (with 3x2-paned sidelight). The middle section also has a doorway at each end (one with a 1/1 sidelight and the other with a metal-framed sidelight), and two 1/1 sliding sash windows. The right-hand section has a sheeted timber door. The FF has a loading door at left and four window opes, all now with modern timber shutters. The SF has five window opes, three of which are infilled with brick and two of which have modern timber shutters.
The GF and FF are abutted by a modern lean-to corrugated-metal shed (2a) which fills the gap between it and the outbuilding to E.
The N gable is devoid of openings save for two small window opes to GF (without cills), now sheeted over (but metal-framed windows visible internally).
The W (rear) elevation has five window opes wide to all floors. Those to GF are metal-framed but sheeted over and partly buried under soil slippage from the steeply rising ground behind. Those to the upper floors are either infilled with bricks or have modern timber shutters. A small brick chimney rises above the eaves towards the right-hand end of this side.

Roof: Natural slate.
Rainwater goods: Half-round plastic.
Doors: Timber (some replaced).
Windows: Metal framed and replacement timber shutters.

3. Dwelling house
A two-storey, three-bay dwelling of pre-1800 date; recently refurbished but now unoccupied. Pitched artificial slate roof with rendered chimney to middle, plastic RWG over boxed eaves, and pebble-dashed random rubble walls. Square-headed openings all with uPVC frames; all windows have concrete cills.
Single-storey entrance porch at N end of street elevation (partly abuts mill). Set into hillside such that only FF visible on rear elevation.
A corrugated-metal monopitched garage (3a) abuts S gable.

4. Outbuilding
Just east of the store is a detached one-storey, two-bay outbuilding aligned N-S along the road. Replacement pitched corrugated-metal roof without RWG. Rubble stone walls (no quoins).
The E (front) elevation has a door and window to each bay, all trimmed with brick except for the enlarged right-hand opening which accommodates a modern corrugated-metal sliding door. The windows are without cills and sheeted over.
The S gable formerly had a small extension (possibly in corrugated metal or timber as clean wall break), now removed and leaving only vestiges of painted plaster.
The W (rear) elevation has two doorways and single window (modern timber casement).
The N gable has a small brick-trimmed opening, now infilled with concrete blockwork.

Waterworks
The overgrown vestiges of the headrace from the river are visible to S of driveway up to Templemoyle House. It is infilled from there to the mill. The tailrace culvert probably survives under the road.

Historical information

This mill is shown as a long rectangular building on the 1830 OS map and is captioned "Grocer's Mill" [sic].
The Ordnance Survey Memoirs of 1834-35 record it as a "well built" corn mill operated directly by the Grocers' Company (rather than let out to a tenant). A board on front of the mill read "The Grocers' Company Mill". The waterwheel was located inside the mill and was breast-shot It measured 13-14ft in diameter by 5ft wide and was fed from a cistern at the back of the mill. In dry weather, however, the water supply was apt to dry up. The machinery had been repaired two years ago and was "in very good condition, working double-geared" (implying that it had least two sets of millstones). The accommodation for the miller, who was "highly recommended", is described as "excellent".
The 1834 Valuation book also notes the mill as belonging to the Grocers' Company. The dimensions of its buildings are given as follows: mill & kiln - 61ft x 22ft x 17ft; office - 45½ft x 22ft x 8½ft; miller's house 38ft x 22ft x 8½ft. Their quality letter is given as "1C" which denotes a slated building which was "old, but in repair". This entry is was subsequently revised (date unknown) to reflect the heightening of the office and miller's house to 16ft and the addition of a small outbuilding. Other than the waterwheel, no details of the machinery are given.
The mill is shown but not captioned on the 1853 OS map; its footprint is identical to the 1830 map.
The 1856 Valuation records the complex as "house, offices and corn mill", rated at £20 and now occupied by Martha Gallagher. She was apparently renting the premises "at will". It was initially valued at £15, but this was increased to £20, a one-third rise. It is possibly that this reflects the heightening of the buildings noted in the first Valuation.
The valuation revision book entry for 1864 records an increase in rateable valuation from £20 to £25 owing to further (unspecified) improvements. There were further improvements in 1878 as well, resulting in a revaluation to £40. These appear to have been much more substantial given that this is a 60% increase in the previous valuation.
John Gallagher took over the operation of the mill in 1885. Two years later, in 1887, he added a new store measuring 22yds x 6yds x three storeys. The valuation was increased to £50, but was reduced to £45 on appeal in 1889.
The 1905 OS map shows the footprint of the premises to be the same as today. They are captioned "Templemoyle Mills (corn)".
The mill ceased operations in 1916 when it is described as "at rest". In 1920, the premises were taken over by White, Tompkins & Courage Ltd. This firm originated as Tandragee-based oatmeal millers and also ran the Clarendon Mill at Belfast Docks.
The 1924 OS map is identical in every respect to the 1905 edition. Whether it was actually used to mill grain is, however, uncertain. On the one hand, the valuations describe it as "at rest", yet the map does not caption it as disused. It is possible, therefore, that the buildings were in use for the drying and storage of grain, rather than its actual milling.
The mill was vacated again in 1930. In 1935, two successive occupants are recorded in the valuations. Firstly a Mr William Verchieur, and then the Associated Animal Products Company. The latter remained in occupation until at least 1957. The Products Co were certainly engaged in grain drying and storage, but not milling (at least not using millstones).
The valuations also give the occupants of the house as follows: John Gallagher (up to 1916), W. McCloskey (1916), John McIlwaine (1923), John Burns (1930), and James McGratty (1935).
The mill was possibly defunct by the mid-1960s as it is shown but not captioned on the 1964-65 OS map.
The above historical statistics, when combined with the field data, indicate at least four main phases of development: (1) erection of a two-storey mill and kiln, single-storey store and single-storey dwelling sometime in the 1700s, (2) the heightening of the store and house to two storeys in the mid-1800s, (3) the heightening of the mill, kiln and store to three storeys (four in the case of the mill proper) in the period 1864-78, (4) the addition of a new three-storey store in 1887, and (5) the conversion of the interior from milling to grain drying in the 1920s or '30s.

References - Primary Sources:
1. PRONI OS/6/5/14/1. First edition OS six-inch map, Co Londonderry sheet 14 (1830).
2. Ordnance Survey Memoir for Faughanvale Parish (1834-35). Reprinted as A. Day and P. McWilliams (eds), OSM Parishes of Co Londonderry XIV, 1833-38, vol.36, pp 16 and 22 (Belfast, Institute of Irish Studies 1996).
3. PRONI VAL/1/B/550A. First Valuation book, pp 60 and 141 (1834).
4. PRONI OS/6/5/14/2. Second edition OS six-inch map, Co Londonderry sheet 14 (1853).
5. PRONI VAL/2/B/5/48A. Second Valuation book, p.60 (1856).
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/32/6A. Valuation Revision Book, 1860-65, p.14.
7. PRONI VAL/12/B/32/6B. Valuation Revision Book, 1866-80, p.26.
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/32/6C. Valuation Revision Book, 1881-83, p.22.
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/32/6D. Valuation Revision Book, 1884-1901, p.22.
10. PRONI VAL/12/B/32/6E. Valuation Revision Book, 1901-10, p.69.
11. PRONI OS/10/5/15/6/1. First edition OS 25-inch map, Co Londonderry sheet 15-06 (1905).
12. PRONI VAL/12/B/32/6F. Valuation Revision Book, 1911-29, p.94.
13. PRONI OS/10/5/15/6/2. Second edition OS 25-inch map, Co Londonderry sheet 15-06 (1924).
14. PRONI VAL/12/F/6/6/2 Valuation Revision Book, 1930-35.
15. PRONI VAL/3/D/6/6/F/8. Valuation Revision Book, 1933-57, p.46.
16. PRONI OS/11/27/15/1. First edition 25-inch Irish Grid map sheet 27-15 (1964-65).

References - Secondary Sources:
1. White's website, .
2. Information on mill's recent history from current owner.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
E. Spatial Organisation
H-. Alterations detracting from building
H+. Alterations enhancing the building
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
R. Age
S. Authenticity
T. Historic Importance
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
Z. Rarity

Evaluation

A multi-bay, multi-storey former water-powered corn mill erected by the Grocers' Company in the 1700s and subsequently enlarged in the mid/late 1800s and converted in the 1900s to a grain drying facility.
Architecturally, its spatial organisation is of interest: the multi-storey mill in the middle, kilns, internal waterwheel pit and interconnected stores at each end. The vaulted arches around the heating chambers under the drying floors of the kilns and also the longitudinal beams supported on columns are also of interest. The vaulting is typical of kilns elsewhere, but the usual floor configuration is joists over transversely-running timber beams. The various additions to the original 18th century block are clearly evident in the wall fabric and reflect its progressive enlargement (both vertically and horizontally) in the mid/late 19th century. Unfortunately conversion of the interior to a grain drying facility has resulted in the disappearance of the milling equipment. The scale and massing of the block also makes it a prominent local landmark.
Historically, the mill is also of interest in that it retains original 18th century fabric as well as later additions. It once played a key role in the functioning of the local agricultural economy. It is a rare example of a mill erected and operated by one of the London Companies involved with the plantation of Ulster in the early 1600s, in this case the Worshipful Company of Grocers.