Ballyvennaght Mill

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-storey 18th C water-powered corn mill with wooden waterwheel, single-step power transmission gearing, single pair of millstones and ancillary grain- and meal processing equipment.

The mill is a two-storey, single-bay building aligned N-S at the bottom of a steep slope up the E side of the flood plain of the Carey River from which it derived its power. It is accessed down an long unsurfaced track leading from the E end of the bridge on the minor road (locally known as Mill Road) off the main Cushendall - Ballycastle Road.

Pitched natural slate roof. No rainwater goods. Walls of random rubble basalt and sandstone field stones, with finely-dressed projecting sandstone eaves.

The N gable contains the only entrance to the mill; it has a wooden lintel with sandstone relieving arch over. Above it, at FF level, is a large window opening (head and frame missing).

The E elevation is partly cut into the slope. At its S end are the collapsed remnants of a small opening which lit the stone floor.
The S elevation is blank except for a small window opening at FF left. An external waterwheel is mounted on this wall (see below),
The W elevation is also blank save for a small slit window to each floor at its right-hand end. Between and just left of these windows is a blank recess of unknown function.

Waterwheel
The waterwheel is mounted on the outside of the S gable. It measures 12ft 0in in diameter by 2ft 3in wide and was backshot (i.e. rotated clockwise when looking to the mill). Except for its cast-iron shaft and hubs and wrought-iron tie rods holding the sides together, it is entirely of wood: two sets of six arms, six pairs of rim segments held together with metal straps, 36 angled buckets mortised into the inside faces of the rim, and soleplate. None of the woodwork is now in particularly good condition and the buckets and soleplate are missing.

Mill races
The wheel was fed from a long headrace which contours along the side of the valley from a weir across the river, c.¼ mile to SE; the race is still intact but the weir has gone. At the mill end of the race is a concrete emplacement (probably WW2) with overspill to the side. There would originally have been a timber launder from its end to the waterwheel; the collapsed remains of an intermediate rubble masonry supporting pier are all that now survive.
Once through the wheel, the spent water flowed in an open channel NW back to the river.

Ancillary buildings
A short distance NW of the mill is a long two-storey building containing a dwelling house at N and grain-drying kiln at S.
The roof is of pitched natural slate, but has collapsed at the kiln end. Red brick chimney on N gable. The walls are of random rubble, with roughly-dressed sandstone quoins and remnants of lime wash. No rainwater goods. Flat-headed openings, with red brick heads to openings.

House still largely intact but interior has collapsed. The kiln has an external stone staircase to FF and a GF doorway on its E side. The FF drying floor has collapsed, but a quarter-arched passage into the GF fire hole survives.
Beyond the house is a ruined single-storey, single-bay outbuilding, possibly a pig sty. There is also a small roofless lean-to at E, at the bottom of the bank.

Setting
The mill is on the right bank of the Carey River in a secluded location surrounded by fields to all sides. To its north is a mid-19th C road bridge (HB05/04/006), to the W of which are the ruinous remnants of a water-powered corn and flax mill.

Materials
Roof: Natural slate
Rainwater goods: None.
Doors: Missing
Windows: Missing

Historical information

This mill is depicted on the 1832 OS map. The 1834 Valuation book records the premises as a "corn mill, kiln and dwelling" occupied by John Casement (and previously by Neal McGarry) for £16 per annum (including two acres). The dimensions of the mill are given as 32ft 6in x 20ft in plan by 12ft high. The kiln is 24ft x 18ft 6in x 12ft and the house 22ft x 18ft x 12ft. All these measurements correspond with the present buildings.

The quality letter of the mill is '1C+', indicating that the building was slated and old, but in repair. The kiln is '1B', i.e. slated, not new and slightly decayed. The house is '2C', i.e. thatched, old and out of repair. The mill would thus appear to be of 18th C date.
It had a water supply for about eight months in the year, although it only operated for half the year. A 13ft diameter undershot waterwheel with 36 buckets powered one set of grinding stones.

The valuation also notes that Mr Casement "has some little succon which would make up half the rent". This indicates that the tenants in the vicinity of the mill were bound under the terms of their leases to take their grain to it for grinding. A fee (probably a proportion of the meal) would then be paid to the miller for his services.

A corn mill is explicitly captioned on the 1857 OS map. The 1859 Valuation book notes John Casement as continuing to operate it. Its dimensions are 11yds x 7yds by two storeys high and the kiln as 8yds x 6yds by two storeys (i.e. the same as 1834). The technical data is as previously given. Thomas Boyd leased the house from Mr Casement and may well have been the miller.

The Valuation revision books note that Joseph Reed took over the mill in 1871, followed by Patrick McCormick in 1873 and Neill McCormick in 1911. The corn mill is also captioned on the 19045 and 1922 OS maps.

Neill McCormick's mill continues to be cited in the valuations until 1955 when it disappears, presumably having ceased operations.

References - Primary Sources:
1. PRONI OS/6/1/9/1. OS 1:10,560 map, Co Antrim sheet 9 (1832).
2. PRONI VAL/1/B/133. First Valuation book, p.147 (1834).
3. PRONI OS/6/1/9/2. OS 1:10,560 map, Co Antrim sheet 9 (1857).
4. PRONI VAL/2/B/1/27B. Second Valuation book, p.82 (1859).
5. PRONI VAL/12/B/2/15A-D. Valuation revision books (1864-1930).
6. PRONI OS/6/1/9/3. OS 1:10,560 map, Co Antrim sheet 9 (1903-04).
7. PRONI VAL/3/B/1/4A. Valuation revision book, p.10 (1935-54).
8. PRONI OS/6/1/9/4. OS 1:10,560 map, Co Antrim sheet 9 (1922).
9. PRONI VAL/3/C/1/5. Valuation revision book, p.10 (1936-57).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
F. Structural System
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

The vernacular character, size and internal layout of this mill are typical of many small-scale 18th and 19th C rural water-powered corn mills. The fact that its stonework is of mainly of rounded fieldstones (i.e. gleaned from the surrounding land) rather than quarried material also attests to its early date. The completeness and configuration of its power transmission system (waterwheel, shafts, gears) and machinery (stones, sack house, grain- and meal processing equipment) are also exceptional. Its landscape setting and long contouring headrace demonstrate how water from the river was harnessed for motive power in the days before steam power and electricity. The fabric of the mill appears to be original; both the field and documentary evidence suggest that it is of 18th C date. In its day, it would have been a key component of the agricultural economy of the local community. From a technical viewpoint, this mill is highly significant. The waterwheel has evidently been rebuilt (probably more than once), and the machinery has also been replaced (possibly in the 20th C) - both common occurrences in mills. Notwithstanding, this is one of the few complete water-powered corn mills to survive in Moyle District. Moreover, single-stone mills such as this one are extremely rare in N. Ireland (only two examples are recorded elsewhere, both in Co Fermanagh), and wooden waterwheels are also exceptional. This type of assemblage was generally superseded in the 19th century with two- or three-stone mills driven by cast-iron waterwheels, so this is an exceptional survival in an N. Ireland context.