Flax Mill

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-storey, single-bay flax scutching mill beside a laneway leading to a farmhouse to the south of Lackan Road.

Pitched natural slate roof. No rainwater goods. Walls of random rubble granite brought to courses, with dressed granite quoins and brick eaves course. Square headed openings with brick heads unless otherwise stated.

The building is aligned NW-SE with its principal elevation facing NE. Large sliding metal door at left end of this elevation; metal head and brickwork indicates that a later insertion into an original opening. Two doorways and six shuttered windows to the remainder of ground floor of this elevation; all windows have no cills, except for right-hand window (granite cill). Five shuttered openings, all with granite cills, to first floor, in line with the five windows below.

Both gables are blank apart from small square windows in apexes.

SW elevation has doorway at left end; timber head and segmental brick relieving arch over. Three doorways (one of which is infilled) and one window to remainder of ground floor of this elevation. Two shuttered windows, both with granite cills, to first floor.

No traces of any buildings formerly having abutted any elevation.

Setting: Drainage ditch runs along NW end; fields all around.

Roof - Slate
Walling - Stone
Windows - Timber
CWG - None

Historical information

This flax mill is first cited in the Valuation revision book for 1898 under the ownership of John Kennedy. It is also cited as a scutch mill on the 1901-02 OS six-inch map. However, it may have ceased working by then as it is recorded as being “at rest” in the 1901 Valuation book.

The 1914 Valuation note book cites it as a disused flax mill, now owned by Joseph M. Kennedy. It also notes “This was an old flax mill – at rest for many years. Part of buildings down. Remainder partially used as farm offices during portion of year”. The mill’s dimensions are given as 78ft long x 20ft wide x 17ft high. It was abutted on NW gable by another building measuring 20ft x 8½ ft x 8ft, and along SW side by a third measuring 38ft x 9ft x 12ft high. Although the building is depicted on the 1919 OS map, it is uncaptioned, suggesting that it was still out of use. There is no documentary evidence that the mill was ever recommissioned.

This substantial mill is of interest in having been erected so late in the 19th century, most such examples having been built in the 1860s, at the time of the flax growing boom. The fact that was used for only a couple of years is unsurprising as most flax was being imported into Ulster from the continent in an already-scutched state by the turn of the century.

A feature is the internal windows and external shutters on the ground floor. This was probably a fire precaution measure, the space between the window and shutter undoubtedly having been used for candles to light the interior. The absence of a chimney (and lack of any mention in the Valuations) suggests that it was probably powered by an oil engine rather than a steam engine.

Primary sources:

1. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/24D. Valuation revision book, Banbridge Union, Tirkelly ED, p.59, entry 10a (1898-1911).
2. PRONI OS/6/3/42/3. Third edition OS six-inch map, Co Down sheet 42 (1901-02).
3. PRONI VAL/12/A/3/8. Valuation note book, 1914, p.97 (1914).
4. PRONI OS/6/3/42/4. Fourth edition OS six-inch map, Co Down sheet 42 (1919)..

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A two-storey, single-bay random rubble flax scutching mill of c.1898. This substantial mill is of some interest in having been erected so late in the 19th century, most such examples having been built in the 1860s, at the time of the flax growing boom. However, the removal of the engine and all the machinery has diminished the mill's significance. It does not meet the statutory and policy tests as a building of special architectural or historic interest.