Flax mill

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-storey building comprising a two-bay section at SW and a slightly lower single-bay section set at an angle on its NE gable.

West section

Pitched natural slate roof, partly collapsed. No rainwater goods. Walls of rubble blackstone and granite masonry, brought to courses; dressed granite quoins and brick eaves course. Flat-headed openings, with brick heads and jambs.

The building is aligned NE-SW with its principal elevation facing SE. Three windows (with shallow concrete cills) and doorway to GF into main section (NE bay); also a second doorway at left (into SW bay), accessed by a flight of concrete stairs. Five windows to FF (all with flush concrete cills) - two have timber shutters and two have timber casement frames; also circular vent at FF left.
SW gable has a window opening to FF.

NW elevation is partly buried such that only now FF visible. Two GF doorways visible internally. Three windows, one door and a circular ventilation duct to FF.

NE gable is abutted by lower section of mill block. Two doorways in party wall at FF level.

East section

This section of the block probably contained the steam engine referred to in the 1860s’ Valuation.

Roof collapsed. No rainwater goods. Walls and openings detailed as west section.

Building aligned N-S with principal elevation to E. Two windows and a door to GF, and three shuttered openings to FF; all windows have concrete cills.

S gable abuts west section.

W elevation now only visible to FF. GF doorway evident inside. At least one door and window to FF, but this wall largely collapsed.

Setting

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

Roof: Natural slate
Walls: stone
Windows: Missing
Rainwater goods: None

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 flax 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 two-storey, three-bay mid-19th century rubble masonry steam-powered flax 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 at the time when there was a boom in flax growing in Ireland. The building is a good example of a steam-powered flax mill (generally larger than water-powered ones).
Although neither engine 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/LQ32