Poston’s Mill

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

The remains of a ruinous mill, an abandoned mill, and remains of a millrace complex.

The mill complex comprises an L-plan ruinous mill very much overgrown but had up to the 1940s a turbine which supplied electricity to the neighbourhood including Feeny village (see HB02/05/021B). A rectangular mill building is a short distance away and retains a rusty mill wheel and is in line with a vacant 2 storey house. The latter mill building is a 2 storey rectangular building with a mill wheel at its western gable. It is in line with the house but detached from it. The remains of the flume can be discerned. There is a deep dry mill race. It is not clear how water managed to be delivered to the wheel. At first floor level is a 20th cent. threshing machine which partially projects from the building but is under the cover of a large lean-to shed.

The deep dry mill race runs around the rear of the mill and house where are existing sluice gates. Here the water went underground to discharge into the turbine at the lower mill , though prior to the installation of the turbine there was a mill wheel.

Historical information

Poston’s corn mill and millrace is indicated on the 1830 O.S. Map and an old mill indicated where HB02/05/021A is sited. This mill is likely to be of 18th cent. The O.S. Memoirs refer to several mills in Gallany TD. One was a grain mill with undershot wheel of 13 foot diameter. Flax mills are referred toand 2 breast water mills of 11 and 11½ foot diameter.
I H R No. 1963

References

Primary Sources
1. O.S. Map 1830 Londonderry sh. 30
2. O.S. Memoirs of Ireland, Parishes of Co Londonderry X, 1833-34, 1838
Ed by Angelique Day and Patrick McWilliams Q.U.B. p. 127

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

The derelict mill building would appear to be of 18th cent. foundation. It had a complex of millraces around it, though now dry. Until recently the building was used to thresh corn with a 20th cent. threshing machine. Is of local historical interest.