Mill at

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached two-bay two-storey former mill building (single-storey to south at rear due to topography of site), built c.1860, located to the north side of Upper Botera Road. Rectangular-on-plan with waterwheel to south.

Roof is pitched natural slate with terracotta ridge tiles (replacement) over brick corbelled eaves. Walls are coursed rubble with fieldstone quoins. Windows are replacement timber-framed fixed glazed in stepped red brick surrounds with red brick voussoirs.

Principal elevation faces east; left bay contains single window at each floor flanked at right by replacement vertically-sheeted double-leaf doors at ground floor and single door at first floor; each have red brick surrounds; right bay contains small window at first floor; cast-iron wall ties.

South gable is blank; abutted by mounted cast-iron waterwheel with timber spokes connected by shaft to interior machinery; further wheel supported on rubble walling connected adjacent at south.

West elevation contains, at left, rectangular slit opening at ground floor; timber casement window at first floor, flanked at right by small opening with stone lintel; right bay contains vertically-sheeted door with brick surround flanked at right by single window.

North gable contains various small openings at ground floor, including blocked entrance opening; timber casement window to attic.

Setting

Set within private grounds adjacent to three-bay two-storey roughcast farmhouse with pitched slate roof to north and modern farm building to south. Free-standing cast-iron water pump directly to east. Site bounded on west by hedging and to river at east by wire fencing.

Roof Natural slate
Walling Coursed rubble
Windows timber
Rainwater goods cast-iron

Historical information

A building is shown on the site on the first edition OS map of 1833. A ‘Corn Kiln’ and ‘Mill Ponds’ are captioned. On the second edition (1854) this is captioned as a ‘Corn Mill’. However on the third and fourth editions a ‘Flax Mill’ is captioned which appears to be the present building.

The Townland Valuation lists the former building as a ‘corn mill, unfinished, walls and roof only’. The dimensions are 36x19x16 and it is occupied by George Buchanan. The valuer estimates its ‘yearly value when finished from £10 to £15’.

In Griffith’s Valuation, John Osborough occupies the mill and leases it from Charles Scott Buchanan but the value of the mill has not been realised and it is recorded at 15s and £2 for the mill pond. The valuer comments, “Mill idle at present and has been so for the past 3 years – the machinery is all out of order – there is no water supply apparently.”

OS Memoirs make a passing mention of this corn mill in Tattykeel townland. (p.110)

In 1871 the new mill is recorded as a ‘flax mill’ and the value raised to £7.15s. A marginal note reads, ‘new scutch mill, three stocks’. There are various changes of proprietor during this period. In 1910 ‘corn mill stores’ are added to the valuation and it is increased to £10.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/6/34/1 – First Edition OS Map (1833)
2. PRONI OS/6/6/34/2 – Second Edition OS Map (1854)
3. PRONI OS/6/6/34/3 – Third Edition OS Map (1906)
4. PRONI OS/6/6/34/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map (1936-8)
5. PRONI VAL/1/A/6/34 – Townland Valuation Map
6. PRONI VAL/1/B/630A-B – Townland Valuation (1828-40)
7. PRONI VAL/2/A/6/34 – Griffiths’ Valuation Map
8. PRONI VAL/2/B/6/32B – Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/41/10A-F – Annual Revision Records (1860-1924)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A detached two-bay two-storey former mill building, built c.1860, located to the side of Upper Botera Road. The mill is solidly constructed with rubble stonework with brick detailing. Internally, the original vaulted structure survives and the cast-iron mill machinery which manifests itself on the exterior through two large wheels to the south of the building. Despite extensive restoration, the presence of two wheels, and their survival, is most unusual and this flax mill remains an important remnant of the linen industry in the area.

General comments

New listing.