Ardmore Corn Mill

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two storey, five structural bay, stone building with slate roof, four metres to the west of Ardmore Lodge (HB2/8/14). Aligning approximately north-south it is served by an intact mill race which travels from a mill pond at the Flour Mills (HB2/8/16) 30 metres to the south east.

The east elevation facing the rear courtyard of Ardmore Lodge has a tall blocked up opening into the former wheel house at the northern end. Beside this is a door into the wheel house and a high level opening into the floor above. To the south at first floor are two square openings with a third bricked up aligning. There are similar windows near ground level below looking into the much lower ground floor of the main mill.

The northern gable shows traces of a removed lean-to against the blank wall.

The southern gable shows the trace of a pitched extension to the mill which collapsed during recent storms badly weakening the gable itself. There is a double door at low level into the building with timber lintel.

The rear elevation is propped up at its southern end because of the collapse. At the northern end is a door from the wheel house and the escaping mill race. A door above is blocked up. Towards the south, two square brick trimmed openings flank a larger double width door opening at first floor. A similar arrangement aligns directly below. The building is built of squared sandstone with brick alterations exposed particularly on the south gable.

To the west and south are a range of sandstone and brick single storey outbuildings one of which (now badly decayed) was used as a cottage until the 1950s.

Historical information

Building shown on 1830 Ordnance Survey Map but not indicated as a mill. It was converted for use as a mill during the 1840s by Robert Macrory of Ardmore Lodge and used for oat meal. During the famine Macrory bought 45 acres of land then on loan from the Board of Works and adapted the mill to grind Indian corn. The 1848 map shows the 1830 building extended southwards and a neighbouring building demolished. It is described as ‘Corn mill and kiln’. The 1904-6 map shows the present arrangement with the cottage to the rear. It is noted ‘Corn mill (disused)’. Like Ardmore Flour Mill, the profitability of the mill was weakened by the opening of the nearby railway in 1883 and the mill closed in 1900.

References:

Days that are gone - S Macrory (1983)
Ordnance Survey Sheets 1831, 1848, 1904-6.LDY10
IHR Record Reference: . 1482:2

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A rapidly decaying stone mill building with all machinery removed. Pit for former wheel is of interest as is the mill race which still flows through. It is of local interest as a place of former industry and for its association with famine relief work.