Windmill

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

The truncated shell of a slightly tapered tower approached along a lane from Mary Street. Only the four bottom floors now survive, up to and including stage level (no roof). Its base measures 9.36m (30ft 9in) internally and its walls, which are of rendered random rubble (mostly granite), are 1.10m (3ft 7in) thick.

There are two diametrically opposite entrances to the ground floor. That to W is 2.26m wide and that to E is 1.90m; the latter has been infilled with random rubble and a smaller doorway created. Both openings have shallow segmental voussoired granite heads. Above the E entrance is a stone incised ‘1802’; the ghost of a small gabled porch abuts. Just left of this latter door is a former window, enlarged to form a doorway, and then infilled with concrete blocks. There is a fourth small doorway to S (now infilled with concrete blockwork). There may be other openings to this floor, now inaccessible from view (and hidden by a blockwork wall internally).

There are three windows and two loading doors to the first floor. These and all other windows have dressed granite heads (with timber lintels to the inside), jambs and cills. One of the doors has concrete block infill.

The second floor has three windows and one door; one of the windows is infilled with random rubble. Between this floor and the one below are wall sockets denoting the stage bracing timbers.

The third floor has two doors (out to the former stage) and four windows. Between this floor and the one below are putlog holes for the external stage (from which the sails and cap winding mechanism were accessed).

Interestingly, very few of the openings are in line with one another between floors. Whether or not this was deliberate, such a configuration minimises the possibility of settlement cracking from one opening to the corresponding one above.

Historical information

The datestone attests to this mill’s construction in 1802. Thomas Bradshaw, writing in 1819, noted that it was “ a very valuable concern; the machinery (a large proportion of which is cast metal) having been constructed on the most approved plan). The 1836 Ordnance Survey Memoir notes that it “was built by Mr Robert Turner in 1802, now the property of Messrs Isaac Glenny and Sons, used for flour and meal, works metal and wood, steam engine attached, 16 horsepower, at work all the year.” The 1835 Valuation notes the windmill as standing 68ft high and with a mean [internal] diameter of 31ft. The premises also included a corn kiln, stores and steam engine house as that time.

The 1863 Valuation notes it as vacant, “had been worked by steam but is now idle and likely to remain so for some time.” It does not appear to have restarted and the frontage to the Square was eventually demolished in the 1880s and rebuilt as the present terrace of commercial buildings.

A later 19thC Lawrence photograph shows the mill still to be in a good state of preservation. It stands to eight floors (including cap) and comprises a tapered cylindrical structure with stage, conical cap, four anti-clockwise ‘common’ sails, and pulley mechanism at the back of the cap to turn it to wind. The chimney to the steam engine is also shown.

The windmill was erected at the height of the Napoleonic Wars (1780-1815) and reflects the importance of wheat growing and its milling into flour at this time for export to Britain. That it was so large compared with the traditional small cylindrical corn (oat grinding) windmill reflects its operation as a merchant mill (as opposed to a small-scale toll mill), and the need for storage for the incoming wheat and outgoing flour. Most mills of this type were erected along the eastern seaboard in what is now the Republic and only three are recorded in Northern Ireland - here, at Armagh and near Londonderry (the latter two survive to their full height). The substantial investment in this particular mill is evident not only in its size, but also in the fact that much of its gearing was of cast-iron, and by the presence of a steam-powered auxiliary engine (which was probably connected to the windmill machinery). Its location is also highly significant, lying adjacent to the dock to facilitate the import of wheat and the export of flour.

Primary sources:
1. Datestone on windmill.
2. Bradshaw’s General Directory of Newry, Armagh etc (1820).
3. First Valuation book, 1835 (PRONI, VAL/1B/367, p.93).
4. Ordnance Survey Memoir, Warrenpoint Parish, 1836.
5. Second Valuation book, 1863 (PRONI, VAL/2B/3/65B, p.5).
6. Valuation Revision book (PRONI, VAL/12B/22/23A, p.94; /23B, p.127; /23C, p.130).
7. Lawrence photograph, no.1191 (National Library of Ireland).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

This important early nineteenth century tower mill was protected through scheduling in September 2004. See DOW 54:500

General comments

This former windmill is protected through scheduling see DOW 54:500. To avoid dual protection it is being delisted.