McMahon's Spadeworks

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A 19th century water-powered spade mill comprising three blocks on the north side of a minor road. All buildings are now in a ruinous state.

Block 1

A one-storey/ single-bay spade mill aligned N-S at the east end of the side, on the left side of the mill race.

Pitched corrugated asbestos roof with chimneys on both gables (that to S end no longer has a fireplace and may be ornamental). No rainwater goods. Random rubble sandstone walls.

Principal elevation faces E and has three openings - a window, door and window. South gable is abutted by a lower lean-to shed with monopitched corrugated metal roof (sloping to S) and timber framed walls. Exposed section of gable has window opening at each side. North gable has a shuttered window at right. West elevation is blank except for external waterwheel at south end. High breast-shot, 3.35m diameter by 1.22m wide (11ft 0in x 4ft 0in). Of timber throughout, save for cast-iron hub and rims. Six arms per side and 30 angled buckets, all now missing along with the sole plate. Remains of sluice gate directly above.

Block 2

Located on the opposite side of the mill race to block 1. It comprises five contiguous sections - (1) the mill proper in the middle of the block, (2) a blacksmith's shop at NE, (3) and (4) two small offices to S, and (5) shed at N. All walls are wet dashed over random rubble. None of the openings retain their fittings and all window openings have stone cills.

The mill proper is two-storey/ single-bay and aligned E-W. Curved corrugated metal roof (now mostly off). All openings to this block have brick reveals, suggesting a mid-19th century construction date. West gable has doors to G/F and F/F, the latter accessed by cement-rendered external stairway and concrete balcony. North elevation is abutted to left and middle by blacksmith's shop and shed respectively, with internal connections. Exposed right section has window opening to G/F. East gable has external waterwheel (see below), small opening at G/F left and 4/4 sliding sash to F/F. South elevation is abutted by two offices; internal connection to right-hand office from mill (probably for a pulley belt).

External waterwheel is high breast-shot, 4.27m diameter by 1.14m wide (14ft 0in x 3ft 9in). Of timber throughout, save for cast-iron hub and rims. Eight arms per side and 32 angled buckets, all now missing along with the sole plate. Remains of sluice gate directly above, complete with control mechanism from G/F of mill.

Blacksmith's shop (single-storey/ single-bay) abuts E end of N elevation of mill. Monopitched corrugated asbestos roof (sloping down to E). Small square chimney rises from NE corner and vestiges of a second on W wall. Brick quoins to upper section of wall at NW corner. Door and window in N gable. East elevation also has window.

A one-storey/ one-bay office, aligned N-S, abuts left half of mill's S wall. Pitched natural slate roof, partly collapsed. Remains of chimney on S gable. No rainwater goods. Advanced brick eaves. South gable has door at left, window to right and small opening to apex. Left cheek has window (head gone). Right cheek abutted by smaller office.

A one-storey/ one-bay office abuts the SE corner of the mill. Monopitched corrugated metal roof (sloping down to E). S elevation has window to left (no cill) and door to right. East elevation blank.

A small one-storey/ one-bay shed abuts the middle section of the mill's N wall. Ghost of monopitch roof (sloping down to W) survives on mill wall. W and N elevations are open sided, the roof being supported on random rubble and mass-concrete piers.

Block 3

A one-and-a-half storey high/ three-bay blacksmith's shop and house aligned N-S at the west end of the side.

South and middle bays have a relatively recent pitched asbestos sheet roof. This is a relatively recent insertion, the side walls of these two bays and the south gable having been raised in concrete from one storey height to the same eaves level as the dwelling in the N bay. Roof of N bay now mostly missing, but former pitched natural slate. Two brick chimneys - one to each party wall. Half-round asbestos gutters. Wet dashed random rubble sandstone walls. Unless otherwise stated, none of the openings retain their fittings; the fittings to the south and middle bay windows were probably shutters. All window openings have stone cills.

Principal elevation faces E. Left (south) bay has a window at left and door at right. Middle bay is the mirror image of S bay. Right (north) bay has a window and door to G/F and a 2/2 sliding sash to F/F. North gable is blank. West elevation has a window to each floor of left (north) bay, and a window to each of the remaining bays. South gable has a small infilled opening to apex.

Historical information

A single-stone water-powered corn mill occupied this site in the 1830s. It belonged to Johnston Lipton and, judging by its description in the first Valuation Book, it was probably of 18th century date.

By the 1860s, a spade mill was also in operation. Both it and the corn mill belonged to John McMahon. Local tradition is that the spade mill was in operation before the Famine - this suggests a late 1830s/ early 1840s erection date.

The complex, which became known as Shannock Mills, remained in the hands of the McMahons, passing to Patrick (c.1877) and James (c.1905). The corn mill appears to have ceased operations in the early 1900s. Around the first World War, the McMahons opened a second spade mill in Lacky townland, 2km SW, and a third at Drumard, just over the border in Co Monaghan.

Principal sources:
1. OS 6" map, Co Fermanagh, sheet 36, 1st edition (1834).
2. First Valuation Book, 1837 (PRONI, VAL 1B/46, p.192)
3. OS 6" map, Co Fermanagh, sheet 36, 2nd edition (1857).
4. Valuation revision books (PRONI, VAL 12B/25/5A-E).

Secondary sources:
1. A. Gailey (1982), Spade Making in Ireland, p.61/ entry 28 (Cultra: Ulster Folk & Transport Museum).
2. HMBB survey notes by F.W. Hamond, 24 Sept 1990.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Owing to the peculiarities of Ulster spades, 90% of all Irish spade mills were located in Ulster. This is one of about 50 spade mills which once operated in N. Ireland. An other complete example driven by a waterwheel is that from Coalisland which has been re-erected at the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum, Cultra. McMahon's mill differs in that the bellows associated with the hearths (but which are now missing) do not seem to have been water powered (at Cultra, they are powered by a second wheel). There is a third spade mill, at Templepatrick, Co Antrim, but this is driven by a water turbine.