Corn mill

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A four-storey, single-bay water-powered corn mill. Pitched natural slate roof, partly collapsed. Rainwater goods now missing except for a cast-iron down pipe. Random rubble granite and blackstone walls brought to courses, with granite quoins. Flat-headed openings throughout, with brick heads and jambs.

Building is aligned NE-SW with its principal elevation facing SE. Three openings to each floor, in line with one another. One is a door to GF, the rest are windows (no cills), all now without frames and sheeted over. Tie bars between the upper floors.

SW gable has doorway to GF, infilled loading door to FF, and window to TF. Wrought-iron weigh crane at GF left.

NW elevation is partly cut into slope such that GF not visible. Two doors (one infilled) to FF, and window to SF.

NE gable has window to FF. Formerly an external waterwheel on this elevation (shared with the flax mill HB17/08/023B) with square opening into building at GF level for axle. No traces of head- or tail races.

Setting

One of several buildings and structures within this complex: corn kiln and store (HB17/08/023C) to NW, flax mill (HB17/08/023B) to E, and chimney (HB17/08/023E) to SE. Situated on N side of Ouley Road at junction with main Loughbrickland-Rathfriland road. Former flax store to W, now converted into a house (1 Ouley Rd), and farmyard to N. Otherwise surrounded by fields.

Roof: Natural slate
Walls: stone
Windows: Missing
Rainwater goods: Missing

Historical information

Uncaptioned mill buildings are depicted at Mill Town on the 1833 OS six-inch map. They are noted in the 1833 First Valuation book as belonging to Andrew McAlister and comprising a corn mill and kiln, house and offices. The corn mill measured 39ft x 21½ft x 6½ft, and the kiln 31ft x 18ft x 8ft.

The 1853 OS map captions the complex as ‘Corn and Flax Mills’; unlike the 1833 map, their footprint is the same as today and all are slightly to the south-east of the original corn mill.

The c.1862 Second Valuation book notes the owner at Roberts S Corbett and the buildings as “Corn and flax mills, kilns”. The corn mill measured 12yds x 8yds x 4 storeys [/023A] and the kiln 24yds x 7yds x 2 storeys [/023C]. In addition there was a flax mill and engine house measuring 17yds x 8yds x 2 storeys [/023B], a boiler house 15yds, x 3?yds x 1 storey [/023D], and two stores – 11yds x 7yds x 2 storeys [now gone], and 9yds x 7yds x 3 storeys [now a house].

The Valuation notes two overshot waterwheels – one 20ft dia x 4ft wide, and the other 14ft x 2½ft. There was a supply of water for about five months in the year. Probably for this reason, there was also a high-pressure steam engine of 14hp. The corn mill contained one pair of gritstone shelling stones (5ft dia) and two pairs of French burrs for grinding (4ft 4in dia). The flax mill contained 10 scutching stocks and two sets of flax breakers.

The map and Valuation data indicate that the previous complex was entirely rebuilt in its present form sometime between 1833 and 1853; the corn mill dates from this period.

The Valuation revision book entry for 1894 notes that the flax mill was “at rest”. However, this probably refers to the original corn mill, to the north of the present buildings, which seems to have been converted to flax scutching. The mid-19th century flax mill, on the other hand, appears to have continued in operation, being driven by a steam engine and containing 10 stocks and a set of triple rollers.

Glasker Mills (Corn & Flax) are cited on the 1903 and 1918 OS maps.

John J Corbett took over the premises c.1919. By 1922, the corn mill was at rest and the kiln and stores were disused. The original corn/flax mill also appears to have been taken down around this time. However, the steam-powered flax mill continued in operation, seemingly until after the Second World War.

References – Primary sources:
1. PRONI OS/6/3/41/1. First edition OS six-inch map, Co Down sheet 41 (1833).
2. PRONI VAL/1/B/351. First Valuation book, p.48, entry 6 (1833).
3. PRONI OS/6/3/41/2. Second edition OS six-inch map, Co Down sheet 41 (1853).
4. PRONI VAL/2/B/3/55B. Second Valuation book, p.53 (c.1862).
5 PRONI VAL/12/B/16/14A. Valuation revision book, p.23 (1864-1878).
6 PRONI VAL/12/B/16/14B. Valuation revision book, p.28 (1879-1889).
7 PRONI VAL/12/B/16/14C. Valuation revision book, p.32 (1890-1908).
8 PRONI VAL/12/B/16/14D. Valuation revision book, p.56 (1909-1923).
9. PRONI OS/6/3/41/3. Third edition OS six-inch map, Co Down sheet 41 (1903).
10. PRONI OS/6/3/41/4. Fourth edition OS six-inch map, Co Down sheet 41 (1918).
11. PRONI VAL/12/A/3/9. Valuation note book, pp 84-86 (1922).
12. PRONI VAL/3/B/4/1. Valuation revision book (1935).
13. PRONI VAL/3/C/4/1. Valuation revision book (1936-57).
14. PRONI VAL/4/B/3/1. Valuation revision book (1956-72)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A four-storey, single-bay mid-19th century rubble masonry water-powered corn mill, now without machinery. Its character survives and much original fabric. It is also of historical interest in having been established in the mid-1800s and replacing a much smaller earlier mill, reflecting the shift from toll grinding to merchant milling. The building is a good example of a medium-sized rural watermill. Although neither waterwheel nor machinery survives, this building is a key component of a substantial mid-19th century water- and steam-powered corn and flax mill complex reflecting the development of rural industry in the area.

General comments

HB17/LQ032