Scutching Mill, Nr Kingsmill Bridge, Dungannon, BT71 5NF

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

This is a detached rubble stone and brick two-storey 19th century ‘scutching’ mill, built c. 1857. It is long and rectangular in plan. The roof has now fallen in and the building is derelict. It is set to the East side of Coagh Road. A tall chimney is located approx. 50 metres to the South within the field.

Mill Building:
The front West elevation is two thirds rubble stonework to left and there is a brick section to the right of this. There is a regular arrangement of square-headed doors and windows. Openings are largely obscured by overgrown ivy foliage and trees. Square-headed openings have brick surrounds, some surrounds are damaged and bricks have been removed / fallen in. There is an elliptical-headed opening partially obscured to the ground floor have brick voussoirs.

The side South elevation is gable ended and has a large square-headed door to the ground floor. There is a square-headed window to the first floor. Both openings are empty.

The side North elevation is gable-ended and is entirely obscured by overgrown foliage. A door opening is visible to the left of the ground floor.

The rear East elevation has an irregular assortment of square-headed and elliptical-headed openings. Openings are largely obscured by overgrown ivy foliage. Square-headed openings have brick surrounds, some surrounds are damaged and bricks have been removed / fallen in. Elliptical-headed openings have brick voussoirs.

External walls are snecked and rubble stone with brick dressings to openings and brick quoins at the north end and brick to the south section.. The natural slate roof has complete fallen in, with some slates visible to building edges.

Chimney:
The chimney is a tall brick four-sided structure, with a vertical base, tapering to the top. All four side elevations of the chimney are matching. There is a vertical brick base surmounted by a two-brick string course. Above the string course, the chimney tapers towards the top. It is approx. 8 – 10 metres in height. The bricks to the top of the chimney appear to have partially fallen.
There is a small segmental-headed hearth opening to the ground floor East and West elevations.

Setting:
Both the former scutching mill and chimney stand alone within a field to the East of the junction between Coagh Road and Ballynargan Road. Kingsmill Bridge (HB09/08/is located immediately to the Northwest. This Kingsmill Bridge is located immediately to the Northwest. It is set to the East of Cookstown.

Historical information

This building is not shown on the OS map of 1853-57, but a ‘flax and corn mill kiln’ are mentioned in the 1860 valuation revision, thus dating the building to 1857-60. The owner at this point was a Thomas McReynolds, who, in 1866 added ‘a new house for a caretaker’. In 1884 the corn mill was reported as ‘all down’, but the flax mill appears to have remained in use (in some capacity) until the 1950s.

Thomas McReynolds acquired the freehold of the property in 1895, and it remained with his descendants until at least 1957.

See also HB09/08/021 Kingsmill Farm

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI VAL/12B/34/4A Annual valuation revision book, Ballyronan ED, 1860-63
2 PRONI VAL/12B/34/4B Annual valuation revision book, Ballyronan ED, 1864-83
3 PRONI VAL/12B/34/4C Annual valuation revision book, Ballyronan ED, 1884-98
4 PRONI VAL/12B/34/4D Annual valuation revision book, Ballyronan ED, 1899-1915
5 PRONI VAL/12B/34/4E Annual valuation revision book, Ballyronan ED, 1915-29
6 PRONI VAL/12B/34/24F Annual valuation revision book, Salterstown ED, 1915-29
7 PRONI VAL/3C/6/16 First general revaluation of Northern Ireland, Salterstown ED, 1936-57

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

This is a detached rubble stone and brick two-storey 19th century ‘scutching’ mill, built c. 1857. I Although ruinous, it is a picturesque reminder of later nineteenth century rural technology. The survival of the chimney and some minor ancillary features is also of interest.