Carrick Mills

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Large complex of mill buildings on the river Roe now incorporated in the Roe valley Country Park. Formerly a flax mill, a flour mill, a corn mill, a corn kiln, a scutch mill, a retting mill and associated buildings, before this some of the buildings comprised part of a bleach mill. The Industrial Heritage Record Reference is: 1679

HB02/08/033A is a relatively small building on the southern part of the group quite a distance from the rest. It is presently used as a barn. The six bay long two storey building has a corrugated asbestos cement roof with a steep pitch (45º). Its north west elevation is constructed in rubble stone to first floor level which carries up to eaves level at the corners. The rest of the first floor is in brick. Five brick piers can be made out possibly framing former large openings. These have now been filled in with brick and on the four central bays small window openings can be seen. The two central are shuttered, the other two are blocked up. At ground level are three former openings irregularly spaced reduced in size by bricks and then blocked up.

The north west gable facing the river has a fine symmetrical composition. Steps rise up over an external arch to a central door at first floor level with Gothic arch head. It is flanked by two bricked up window openings also with Gothic arches. Above centrally placed is a rectangular opening. The gable is rubble stone with some brick repairs near the roof. The south west side is similar to the north east, brick piers on stone, bricked up openings with smaller openings blocked up.

The south east gable has a massive entrance door which rises to eaves level and is half the width of the facade. The opening is trimmed in brick. The gable wall above has been completely rebuilt in brick some rusting steelwork for a former sliding door remains. The present door is much smaller and recently made from corrugated metal.

To the north west of the building is the former retting mill with the remains of water tanks on the roof and an engine room with tall brick chimney which sits as a fine landmark in the landscape.

To the north is the long flour mill complex at a lower level and nearer the river.

Historical information

The Ordnance Survey Memoirs Vol. 9 P.41. states ; “Tullydremond Flax Mills. On the property of William Moody Esq. This mill is in the bucking house of the old bleach mill with an engine left and drying left under the same roof. Breast wheel, fourteen and a half feet in diameter, breadth across the buckets three feet four inches. This is the largest and best wheel on the water in the parish. Fall 10 feet… The bleach mill ceased to work five years ago. The houses which remain are all in good repair. The last person to occupy this bleach mill was Mark Rodgers. Proprietor of the flax mill is William George. The second mill is in the old engine house of the bleach mill; breast wheel 11 feet in diameter and 16 inches across the bucket. Fall of water 11 feet… Henry Hazlett proprietor.”
Present flour mill marked ‘Flax mill’ on 1830 Ordnance Survey Map. In addition to this mill, a perpendicular mill now gone nearby present flax mill, (HB02/08/033B) corn Mill (HB02/08/033C) and a now demolished corn kiln building also indicated. The barn described as HB02/08/033A is also indicated. On the 1848 map the buildings are largely unchanged though the labels described above are given. The retting mill and chimney first appear on the 1905 map. In the 1858 Griffiths Valuation the mills in Terrydremont South are described as: ‘Flour mill and store, millers house, offices and land’ Andrew Given leased the premises from Thomas Scott. Value of buildings £36.

References:

OSS 1831,1905.
The Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland Vol 9
Griffiths Valuation 1858
Roe Valley Country Park Information Booklet.
IHR: 1679

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Substantially existent pre. 1830 industrial barn, nicely proportioned. Interesting interior structure resting on brick piers, unusual care taken to provide pointed windows in the river side gable.Unclear what its exact function was though from the alterations to the fabric this certainly changed over time.