Former Factory

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A group of buildings comprising blocks of one-, two- and three-storey stone and brick buildings along the north-east side of the Ashfield premises, and a separate two-storey building at its north end.

BLOCK 1

Building 1A

The principal building (1A) in this block is a mid-19th century three-storey, single-bay former warping mill and weaving shop.
Pitched natural slate roof with metal roof lights to NE slope and brick chimney to each gable. Walls are of roughcast random rubble blackstone with granite quoins; though the gables of SF are stone, its side walls are brick; however, this seems contemporary with the lower section, not a later raising. Vestiges of half-round metal gutters on advanced brick eaves and cast-iron downpipes. Brick jambs and segmental brick relieving arches to all openings, and sandstone cills to windows (where surviving).

All GF openings have been sheeted over for security, but a 6x5-pane cast-iron window in a timber frame is visible at the right-hand end of the SW elevation. Identical cast-iron windows to FF. The SF has alternate 3x3 fixed windows and 3/6 top-opening timber window; the latter may be replacements of shutters.

The SW elevation is 11 openings wide; all are windows as described above.

The NW gable is abutted by a two-storey brick building (1B). The exposed section is blank except for a brick-infilled doorway at FF, now partly blocked by 1B.

The NE elevation is identical to that at SE except in respect of three doorways at GF and two at FF. One of the latter is the principal entrance to the upper floors and has a t&g sheeted door accessed by an external masonry staircase with brick quoin and tubular metal handrail; cantilevered jib over.

The SW gable is partly abutted by a two-storey masonry lean-to (1D). Two infilled windows to SF.

Roof: Natural slate
Rainwater goods: Metal
Walls: stone
Windows: metal/timber

Building 1B

The NW gable of 1A is abutted by a two-storey brick building, probably added c.1900 when converted to hemstitching. Former owner believes it contained a steam engine and boiler house which powered the factory and laundry (though no evidence of any chimney).

Pitched natural late roof with vestiges of half-round metal gutters on advanced eaves. Walls of dark-red handmade brick with flat heads to all openings.

SW elevation abutted by later single-storey brick building (1C).

NW gable is abutted by modern single-storey corrugated-metal shed. Vestige of timber-framed window to FF.
NE elevation has two doors and a window to GF, all sheeted over. Three windows to FF, one with vestiges of a 3x3-pane timber window.

Roof: Natural slate
Walls: Brick
Windows: Unknown
Rainwater goods: Metal

Building 1C

This single-storey, single-bay lean-to abutting SW elevation. Judging by its lighter, machine-made brickwork, it may be a mid-1900s rebuild of a previous lean-to.

Monopitched natural slate roof with vestiges of half-round metal gutters. Flat-headed openings to walls.

SW elevation has two brick pilasters, seven 2x3-pane metal windows, and a doorway and small shaft bearing housing at right end.

Wide doorway to NW gable, now sheeted over and with segmental brick relieving arch over.

Roof: Natural slate
Walls: Brick
Windows: Steel
Rainwater goods: Metal

Building 1D

The SE gable of 1A is partly abutted by a two-storey, three-bay building which wraps around the SW corner of the main building, with which it is probably contemporary.

Pitched and monopitched natural slate roof. Vestiges of half-round metal gutters on advanced brick eaves. GF is predominantly of random rubble blackstone and the first floor mainly brick; all roughcast. The 1901 valuation statistics and window type suggest that much of the upper floor may be a later rebuild (probably in mid-1900s).

NE gable has a flat timber-headed doorway, with 2x4 metal-framed window to FF (with concrete head and cill).

SE elevation has a doorway and two windows to GF, all sheeted over. Three windows to FF; two are 3x3-pane timber and the third, at left, has a 3x4 metal-frame and is obviously later.

SW gable is abutted by a single-storey building (1E). 3x3-pane metal window to FF.

The NW elevation has an infilled doorway at left and a sheeted-over window (with granite cill) to middle of GF. 2x4-pane metal window to FF (with concrete head and cill).

Roof: Natural slate
Walls: Rubble blackstone and brick
Windows: Timber and steel
Rainwater goods: Metal

Building 1E

A single-storey, single-bay annexe to 1D, accessed internally therefrom. Wall break shows it to be an add-on, though shown on the 1859 OS map).
Pitched natural slate roof; no RWG. Walls of random rubble blackstone and brick, with advanced brick eaves and brick quoins. Sheeted-over windows to all elevations (one with a sandstone cill).

Roof: Natural slate
Rainwater goods: NoneWalls: Rubble blackstone and brick
Windows: Unknown
Rainwater goods: Metal

BLOCK 2

This section comprises a mid-19th century former boiling room, in which the yarn would have been prepared for weaving (possibly after bleaching).

A two-storey, single-bay building with pitched roof; clad with natural slate to its SE slope and corrugated metal to NW. Vestiges of half-round metal gutters on advanced brick eaves, and cast-iron down pipes. Unrendered random rubble blackstone walls with brick quoins. All openings are trimmed with brick and have flat heads; no cills to window openings.

SE elevation has a large doorway to left; its steel head and modern brick jambs indicate an enlargement of a previous doorway. GF openings buried under rising ground, but infilled window opening visible from inside. Two window openings and one loading door visible at FF.

SW gable is abutted by a now-overgrown single-storey, single-bay lean-to which is probably contemporary with it. This lean-to has a monopitched natural slate roof, rubble blackstone walls with brick quoins. Doorway to SE end. Remaining elevations could not be accessed due to dense ivy overgrown.

NW elevation of main building is heavily overgrown with ivy. Three window openings to GF and two to FF visible from inside.
NE gable is partly hidden by rising ground and abutted by modern ruinous corrugated metal shed. Infilled window and bearing housing visible from inside.

Roof: Natural slate/corrugated iron
Rainwater goods: Metal
Walls: stone
Windows: Missing

Setting

Blocks 1 and 2 lie at E and N ends respectively of premises. To immediate W are one- and two-storey outbuildings (HB17/13/014B), and W again is two-storey house (HB17/13/014A), all formerly in the same ownership. Open fields to N, E and S.

Historical information

Samuel Lewis, writing in 1837, states that a linen factory was established at Ashfield in 1828. However, the 1834 Ordnance Survey Memoir notes that there were no factories as such in the parish (of Dromore), and that linen was woven in the homes of the various weavers. David Lindsay was the owner at that time and,
Ashfield House and several adjoining buildings are shown on the 1834 OS map and also cited in the 1835 Valuation, under the ownership if David Lindsay. He is recorded has employing 950 weavers during 1839. However, none of the stone buildings under review is depicted until the 1858 edition of the OS map.
The 1861 Valuation notes their owner as Maurice Lindsay, David having died in 1859. The complex is described as a house, offices, and gate lodge, all with a rateable valuation of £50. The three-storey building which is the principal one within the site under review is noted as being one of these offices. Its dimensions are given as 28yds x 9yds in plan and it stood three storeys high. There was also a two-storey boiling house measuring 17yds x 8yds in plan.
A pencilled annotation to this entry suggests that the three-storey building was formerly a warping mill but was now a weaving shop. In the warping mill, the yarn was prepared for distribution to handloom weavers working in their own houses under the piece-rate system of production. It would appear that looms were set up at Ashfield as well. Three such weaving shops are also recorded elsewhere within this townland at this time.
After Maurice’s death in 1877, Ashfield was taken over by John Moore; his name first appears in the valuations in 1878.
A hemstitching factory is added to the schedule of buildings belonging to Moore in 1901, where handkerchiefs were apparently hemmed. All the buildings under review, both stone- and brick-built, are now cited in the valuation book, albeit not assigned to specific functions. The premises as a whole are described as “generally old and too extensive”. The buildings are also captioned ‘Hemstitching Factory’ on the 1903 and 1916 OS maps.
Moore died in 1903 and the premises were inherited by his daughters, Lucy and Mary, who sold them to A.W. McMurray in 1912. In 1919, the premises were taken over by George and Edward Coey, having been purchased by their father on his sons’ return from the First World War.
The hemstitching factory continues to be cited in the valuations. The present owner of Ashfield (born 1926, the daughter of George) recalls its operation: there was apparently a steam engine which drove the sewing machines and an animal-feed milling plant through various belts and pulleys. The engine and boiler were housed in the brick building abutting the three-storey one (although there is no recollection of a chimney, nor is there any documentary or field evidence for same). Adjoining it was a laundry room where the finished handkerchiefs were washed, spun and ironed.
The hemstitching factory disappears from the valuation books in 1935. This accords with the recollection that the sewing machines were sold off by her father c.1936.
During the Second World War, the buildings were used to store cloth for military uniforms.
Around five years ago the buildings were sold for redevelopment, thus bringing their connection with Ashfield to an end.
To summarise, the buildings in question were erected in the mid-1800s (sometime between 1835 and 1858) for the warping of yarn and handloom weaving. They were converted into a hemstitching factory c.1900 and operated as such until the mid-1930s.

References - Primary Sources:
1. PRONI OS/6/3/20/1. First edition OS six-inch map, Co Down sheet 20 (1834).
2. OS Memoir for Dromore Parish (1834). Reprinted as A. Day & P. McWilliams (eds), Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland: Parishes of County Down III, 1833-8, Mid-Down, p.72 (Belfast: Institute of Irish Studies, 1992).
3. PRONI VAL/1/B/342. First Valuation Book, p.13, entry 2 (1835).
4. S. Lewis, Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, vol.1, p.507 (Dublin, 1837).
5. PRONI VAL/2/B/3/38D. Second Valuation Book, p.65, entry 7A (1861).
6. PRONI OS/6/3/20/2. Second edition OS six-inch map, Co Down sheet 20 (1858).
7. PRONI VAL/12/16/21A-E. Valuation revision books (1864-1930).
8. PRONI VAL/12/A/3/4. Valuation officer’s notebook no.4, p.50 (1901).
9. PRONI OS/6/3/20/3. Third edition OS six-inch map, Co Down sheet 20 (1903).
10. PRONI OS/6/3/20/4. Fourth edition OS six-inch map, Co Down sheet 20 (1916).
11. PRONI VAL/3/B/4/2. Valuation Revision Book (1935).
12. PRONI VAL/3/C/4/3. Valuation revisions (1936-57).
13. PRONI VAL/4/B/3/4. Valuation revisions (1956-72).

References - Secondary Sources:
1. E.R.R. Green, Industrial Archaeology of Co Down, p.20, entry 23 (Belfast: HMSO, 1963).
2. Information from Mrs McBride (nee Coey), former owner.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A large mid-19th century linen manufacturer’s premises comprising one-, two- and three-storey masonry and brick buildings, with early and mid-19th century additions associated with its c.1900 conversion to hemstitching.

Building 1A is of particular interest on account of its scale and utilitarian architecture. Building 1B is of contrasting material (brick) and is associated with the site’s later use as a hemstitching factory. Buildings 1C-E and block 2 have a functional association and group value with the main buildings. The interiors are largely unaltered, albeit devoid of machinery. The buildings also have group value in the context of Ashfield (HB17/13/014A) and its outbuildings (HB17/13/014B).

The buildings are also of historical interest, reflecting the industrialisation of yarn preparation and handloom weaving in response to the inception of wet spinning in the 1830s and consequential ready availability of cheap yarn. However, competition from power looms undoubtedly caused its demise and precipitated its conversion to a hemstitching factory around 1900.

The complex is a good example of the type of robust industrial buildings relating to rural industry and outworkings surviving as whole and increasingly rare.

General comments

This record was previously known as HB17/13/014