Former corn/scutch mill, Carrydarragh Road, Moneymore, Magherafelt

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A 1 bay 1 storey gabled building in line with 2 storey 2 bay former mill building fitted with metal mill wheel with further single storey building at right angles.

The N elevation from left 1 bay 1 storey with a single 12 pane double hung sliding sash window, stone built with corrugated iron roof. A 2 bay 2 storey building in line with single door opening at ground level and at 1st floor a shuttered opening, then a large metal 6 metre diameter waterwheel, fed overhead, 600mm wide with shallow buckets. There are the remains of a flume issuing from a former mill pond fed by a mill race which extends for more than a mile to take water from the Ballymully River, which actually flows close by the former mill. The 2 storey part is built of coursed red sandstone, gabled with corrugated iron roof. The long return at right angles is 3 bays long with 2 wide door openings and used as a garage. This building is now largely constructed of concrete block although one of the walls is rubble stone. The gable of the 2 storey part on the mill pond side is mainly sheeted with corrugated iron. To one side are the remains of sluice and flume. The remains of tail race extant and originally crossed road.

The owner has a small undershot waterwheel which operates a pump which supplies water in a 20mm pipe up to the mill pond to allow demonstration revolutions of the large wheel. This located by the bank of the Ballymully River.

The mill buildings are situated on the S side of the Carrydarragh Road and the Ballymully River. There are other buildings forming a group including the dwelling house of the present owner.

Historical information

The O.S. Memoirs refer to 1 corn mill with 16 foot wheel but in the townland of Ballymully. However a mill and mill race is indicated on the O.S. map of 1832 and its circuitous route. The O.S. map of 1856 shows a corn mill and kiln here. A newspaper cutting of 1755 refers to a mill in the townland of Carradarragh being offered for sale. It is likely that this is the same mill . The owner stated that the mill last operated as a linen scutch mill. The 6 metre wheel was erected c25 years ago.

References

Primary Sources
1. O.S. Map 1832 Londonderry sh. 46.
2. O.S. Map 1832 Rev 1856 Londonderry sh. 46.
3. O.S. Memoirs of Ireland, Parishes of Co Londonderry XI, 1821, 1833, 1836-7 p. 42.
Vol. 31 Ed by Angelique Day and Patrick McWilliams Q.U.B.
4. Present Owner (2000).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A former corn and scutch mill with overshot wheel fed by mill pond in turn fed by a mill race which runs a great distance from the Ballymully River. While the old red sandstone building dates from the 18th century it has lost its roof construction and the existing wheel is only 25 years old.