Flax mill

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

The block under review comprises a flax mill, flax store, engine and boiler room, two sheds and a chimney.

Flax mill
This two-storey, single-bay mill is aligned NE-SW a short distance south of the Manse Road leading into Katesbridge. Pitched natural slate roof but no rainwater goods. Walls of random rubble granite brought to courses, with brick eaves course. All openings have flat brick heads and brick jambs.
SE elevation has two doorways (one infilled) and four windows to GF and a loading door (with cantilevered concrete balcony) and two windows (one still with 3x3 timber frame) to FF. The NW elevation has two doors (one infilled) and two windows to GF, and a loading door and two shuttered openings to FF.

Flax store
The mill’s NE end is abutted by a single-storey, single-bay former flax store aligned at right angles to it (no wall break between the two and continuous roof). Although only a single space inside, its walls are the same height as the mill. Roof and walls detailed as mill. Infilled doorway to SE gable. with window opening over. Large vehicular doorway with timber head and segmental brick relieving arch to NW gable. A small concrete block animal byre abuts the store’s SW elevation; original window opening over.

Engine/boiler room
The mill’s SW gable is abutted by a single-storey, two-bay former engine and boiler room detailed as the main mill (no wall break between the two). Window to SE elevation and doorway to NW side; blank gable.

Shed 1
The engine/boiler room’s SE elevation is abutted at left by a small single-storey, single-bay shed. Walls of rubble blackstone and brick apex to SE gable. Small window to SW elevation and wide doorway (with timber head) to gable.

Shed 2
The engine/boiler room’s NW elevation is abutted at left by a ruinous single-storey, single-bay shed. Roof now missing, but walls detailed as mill. Window to NW gable (head missing) and doorway and window to NE side. The cill of the latter was used as a mounting for a shaft bearing block (oil stained).

Chimney
A freestanding chimney is located at the NW corner of the mill block. Square random rubble base with brick cornice and above which is a tapered brick flue, also of square section. Top now missing. Semicircular brick openings at base of NW and SE elevations (one for boiler furnace flue, the other for cleaning purposes).

In yard in front of the mill block is the ruinous shell of a single-storey, single-bay rubble masonry building. In the yard behind the block is an iron shaft with a scutching ring still attached (mountings for six arms). To NE of block is a derelict and very overgrown two-storey house, now converted internally to animal pens.

Setting: Access laneway along NW side from public road across NE end; otherwise surrounded by fields.

Roof: Pitched natural slate
Rainwater goods: None
Walls: Random rubble blackstone and granite
Windows: Missing

Historical information

This flax mill is first cited in the Valuation Book for the period 1864-75; it is uncertain, however, whether its entry date is 1867, 1870 or 1875. The mill belonged to Alexander Porter a that time and was powered by a 10-12hp steam engine.
The main mill building is described as 15yds x 7½yds x 2 storeys. It was abutted at NE by a building measuring 17½yds x 7yds x 1 storey and to SW by another of dimensions 8½yds x 7½yds x 1 storey. The latter was also abutted by a small building measuring 4yds x 3½yds x 1 storey.

The premises were taken over by Thomas Porter around 1890 and are cited as ‘scutch mill’ and ‘chy’ [chimney] on the 1902 and 1919 OS maps. The mill had been vacated by 1917 and is noted as being “at rest” in the 1924 Valuation entry.

References

Primary sources
1. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/3A. Valuation revision book for Banbridge Union, Ballooleymore ED, p.56, entry 26c (1864-75).
2. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/3C Valuation revision book for Banbridge Union, Ballooleymore ED, p.73, entry 26c (1884-93).
3. PRONI OS/6/3/35/3. Third edition OS six-inch map, Co Down sheet 35 (1902).
4. PRONI VAL/12/B/16/3E Valuation revision book for Banbridge Union, Ballooleymore ED, p.56, entry 26c (1909-29).
5. PRONI OS/6/3/35/4. Fourth edition OS six-inch map, Co Down sheet 35 (1919).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A two-storey, single-bay steam-powered flax scutching mill dating from the mid-1860s or ‘70s. Its erection date corresponds with the boom in flax growing in Ulster as a result of the American Civil War. However, its significance as a flax mill is greatly compromised by the loss of its engine and scutching equipment and incompleteness of its chimney. Although significant in the locale, insufficient fabric survives to merit listing and there are other, better, examples listed.