Rademan mill

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Large flour mill complex built at various stages throughout the 19th century and consisting of a large part four, part two storey mill originally dating from c.1804-16 but greatly extended with the addition of the taller section c.1840s; a sprawling two storey house with attached offices, which may in origin date from c.1810-20, but which was greatly extended and completely remodelled along typical late Victorian lines in 1889+, and a long two storey gabled ‘warehouse’ building and adjacent single storey [?] ‘carthouse’, both perhaps c. 1850s, but with the latter altered in subsequent years. The complex is set in a hollow on the banks of the Ballynahinch River, to the S of the Ballynahinch Road, roughly 2 miles E of Crossgar. It is now vacant, but the buildings appear to be in relatively good condition and maintained on a regular basis.

THE FLOUR MILL
The floor mill is a large part four, part two storey building with a series of offshoots to the the rear (W). The large four storey section (added c.1840s) is rubble finished, with the original two storey section to the N end, and the offshoots, part rendered and part rubble finished. Most sections of the roof are gabled and slated and the windows are relatively small with most filled with Georgian-paned sash frames.

The long front façade of the mill façade faces roughly E. To the left of the façade is the four storey rubble finished section. To the ground floor left of this section is a large timber sheeted sliding door. To the left of this are two small sash windows with Georgian panes (6/6) and brick dressings. To the right of the door are five similar windows, with another to far right blocked with breeze blocks. To the first floor there are seven similar windows, in line with the ground floor openings. Between the 6th and 7th windows (from left) there are two timber sheeted ‘loft’ doors of differing size. Under the doors is a narrow timber ledge and above both is a large projecting flat roofed hood. To both the second and third floors there are nine windows as before.

To the right the façade is two storey and rendered. To the ground floor are for square windows with modern fixed light frames. There appears to have originally been a door between the 2nd and third windows. To the first floor are four windows with frames as windows to four storey section, only larger. To the far right there is a lower two storey section which is set back beyond the line of the rear of the façade. To the ground floor of this there is a small single storey lean-to section to left, with sash window (2/1) to its E face. To the right of the lean-to there is a small plain sash window, and to the first floor there is a larger sash window (6/6)

The S facade of the mill is of course, four storey and rubble finished. The façade conists of a gable with merges with a four storey lean-to section to left. To the ground floor left is a large timber sheeted double door. To the immediate right of this there is a boarded up window opening. To right again are two smaller windows, as front of the four storey section. To the first floor left is a similar small window, with another to each of the two storeys above. There are two similar windows at ‘attic’ level, high on the gable.

The N facing gabled façade is two storey, rendered and has a plain sash window to ‘attic’ level. The exposed uppermost section of the N gable of the four storey section has two ‘attic’ level windows (as front of this section).

The rear elevation has a complex appearance. To the left (at the rear of the original two storey section there is a small single storey lean to with rendered façade and small sash window (a four storey section) to right on its W face. This lean-to abuts a larger two storey gabled projection with ‘attic’ level. This projection is part rendered, part rubble faced. To its N face there is a small window to each floor, with frame as previous. To the ‘attic’ level of its W facing gable there is a larger sash window (2/2).

To the left on the rear façade of the four storey section there is a large two and a half storey gabled projection, with rubble façade. This projection appear to have held [?and still holds] the water wheel. To the S face of this there is a timber sheeted door to right on the ground floor, with a small sash window to left (1/2) To first floor right is a six pane window (this opening appears to have been reduced in size). There is a similar window to ‘attic’ level on the (W facing) gable. To the N of the projection the ground level is much higher and the projection appears single storey to this side. To the N face itself there are two small sash windows (6/6, 2/2).

To the right of the projection is the rear façade of main four storey section. To the ground floor left of this portion of the façade there is a large segmental headed opening. To the immediate right of this is a boarded up window opening. To far right is a window, as front façade of this section. To left at first floor level is another sash window (6/2), with three more to the uppermost floor (6/6).

THE HOUSE & ATTACHED OFFICES
To the E of the mill is a large, sprawling, two to two and a half storey house with integral mill offices. This building has a complex, irregular appearance, in that it consists of a relatively typical late Victorian two storey residence with canted bays, flat roofed porch and shallow hipped roof, which merges to the S with is a much larger, plainer, gabled section with offshoots to E and W. Documentary evidence suggests that the overtly house-like, hipped roof portion to the front is actually an early 19th century house which was completely remodelled in 1889 (a date which appears over one of its doorways). The large portion to the rear may have been added at this time, however, its overall styling suggests it is c.1910-20, or was built in stages leading up to these years.

The front elevation of the building faces N. Roughly to the centre of the elevation is the symmetrical front façade of the front ‘house’ section. This consists of a central flat roofed porch with panelled timber door to front with rectangular fanlight. To E and W faces of the porch are tall, narrow two pane windows. The porch has rusticated render with cornice course and decorative moulded surrounds to openings. To first floor directly above the porch is a plain sash window with surround as porch openings. To either side of the porch are full height, flat roofed canted bays with palin sash windows to all faces and both floors, and mouldings as before. The façade is finished in plain render with moulded quoins and eaves cornice.

To the left of the front elevation is a two storey gabled section set back beyond the line of the house section. To the first floor of the N face of this section is a sash window (2/2). To the ground floor there is a single storey hipped roof ‘porch’ projection with a panelled timber door to left on N face with a casement window with stained glass to the right. The door has a decorative moulded surround with date ‘1889’ in keystone.

To the right half of the N elevation the taller gabled section to the rear can be seen rising above the roofline of the front hipped roof ‘house’ section. To this gable there are two sash windows (both 2/2). The righ hand edge of this gable is exposed also, and on this exposed section there is a ground floor sash window (2/2). To the right hand edge of the front elevation is a projection single storey offshoot with a large metal water tank covering the whole of its roof. There are two sash windows to the N face of this offshoot (2/1, 2/2).

To left on the E elvation is the gable of the E gabled projection. To right on the ground floor of this gable there is a plain sash window. To the immediate right of the gable is the E face of the hipped roof side ‘porch’ which also has a sash window (2/2). Above the ‘porch’ to E façade of ‘house’ section is a large semicircular headed window with mullioned and transomed frame with stained glass. To right of this is a plain sash window, with another to ground floor right.

To left on W elevation is the W façade of ‘house’ section, which has a plain sash window to ground floor and first floor. The ground floor window sits within a semicircular arched recess. To right of this is the short W face of the single storey ‘offshoot’ which has a sash window (2/2). The word ‘office’ is painted above the window. To the right of the offshoot (to W façade of large ‘rear’ section) is a sash window (4/4) and a timber sheeted door. To the first floor are two widely spaced sash windows (both 2/2).

The rear elvation largely consists of the rear façade of the ‘rear’ section. To the left of this façade is a large two and a half storey gabled gay, with three sash window to ground floor (all 4/4), two to first floor and two more to ‘attic’ level (all 2/2). To the right of the bay there are four sash windows to the ground floor, (1st window 2/2, with rest plain), with four more to the first floor (all 2/2). To far left of the rear elevation is the S face of the offshoot, which has a timber sheeted door.

The large ‘rear’ section, offshoot and side ‘porch’ are all finished in plain render with some moulded string courses. The W and W façade of the ‘house’ section are also in plain render. The roof of the ‘rear’ section has a slight overhang with plain barges and short finials. The building has three rendered chimney stacks, and there is a cast iron skylight to front of roof of ‘house’ section. All sections of the roof are slated. Cast iron rw goods.

‘WAREHOUSE’
To the SW of the house is a long, two storey gabled building, which may have been a warehouse. This is in rubble with brick dressings and granite quoins, with a slated roof. To the E side a small single storey gabled section has been attached, and, to S of this there is a rubble-built lean-to (which may be original).

To the N gable of the main section of the building there is a large segmental arched opening with (internal) sliding door. The opening is brick dressed (as are all others). To the upper floor above the arche is a roundel window with tracery.

To the long E façade there are four small (mainly louvered) openings near eaves level. To far right on the ground floor is the relatively large lean-to with small window with bars over to S face, with a similar window to E face with timber sheeted door to its right. This lean-to merges (to right) with the abovementioned gabled section, which has two small Georgian-paned windows to its E face and a large flat arched (garage door-like) opening to the N (gabled face). The N face is rendered.

To the S gable of the main building there is an upper level timber sheeted door reached via a stone staircase. There is a doorway opening to the S face of the staircase.

To the ground floor of the long W face there are are three timber sheeted doors and seven small sash windows (all 6/6). There are seven similar windows to the first floor.

OTHER BUILIDINGS
To the immediate W of the ‘warehouse’, fringing the bank of the river, is a relatively large gabled building which may have been a carthouse. This building is finished in a mixture of rubble, render and brick and has been somewhat altered over the years.

To left on the N façade there is a timber sheeted sliding door, with a small Georgian-paned window to left and two to right. To right again is another sliding door, as before only larger. To the right of this the remainder of the façade is is taken up with a series of large, linked, segmental headed openings, which were probably all once open, but are now largely filled with timber sheeted punctuated with some windows of varying shape (windows which have obviously come from elsewhere). The former arched opening to far right is filled with brick.

To the E gable an odd ‘squint’ single storey lean-to is attached with rubble façade and two timber sheeted doora nd two small windows to its E face. To the W gable there is a large flat arched opening, with ill-fitting timber sheeted double door. To right of this is a six pane window. This gable is largely rendered, but some of the render has fallen off revealing brick construction to this end. [?Was this building once longer.]

The S façade of this building could not be seen clearly, because of its proximity to the river bank.

The large yard around which the various buildings in this grouping are situated is covered in Tarmac. The site is approached via a long curving drive off the Ballynahinch Road. At the road end of the drive there is a set of late Victorian looking decorative iron gates and palin square rendered pillars (whose caps have been removed).

RIVER STRUCTURES

Dr Fred Hammond recorded the following in a report for EHS of 1989. In 2004 these structures were in similar condition : ' The remains of the water works are not without note. A substantial weir (now gone) blocked the river, the upstream portion of bed acting as a mill pond. Water was diverted along and open headrace, entering a dry stone culvert, 8'wide by 7' high, some distance from the mill. The tailrace is of a similar impressive construction. The substantial remains of an eel trap are also to be found in the vacinity of the headrace intake.'

Historical information

It is believed that the first mill on this site was a two storey dry flax mill, built by a Samuel Crookshank in c.1804. A '16 foot' waterwheel drove circa 96 spindles. In 1805 this was expanded to 136 spindles. This is the earliest known example of water powered dry spinning in Ulster.(The technique had been developed in England 15-20 years earlier and fostered in Ireland by the Trustees of the Linen and Hempen Manufacturers of Ireland). The coarse yarn which resulted could not compete on quality with hand spun material and the buisines went bankrupt. In 1811, Crookshank sold this mill to James McRoberts of Listooder who by 1816 (according to the OS Memoirs) had converted it to a corn (or flour) mill, extending the building in the process. Around the same time, he also added a two storey dwelling house to the site. As well as the two stone capacity flour mill still driven off the original wheel there was also at this time a one storey threshing mill powered by a 12 foot diameter by two foot wide wheel.

Both the original corn mill and the house are shown on the OS map of 1834, with the dwelling located on the site of the present house and a long single storey block on the site of the ‘warehouse’ building, which the contemporary valuation records indicate was probably the threshing mill. Some time between 1836 and c.1858 (probably the early 1840s) the large four storey section was added to the mill; the ‘warehouse’ section may have been added at the same time, for both it and the enlarged mill are shown on the revised OS map of 1858. The ‘carthouse’ had been built by this stage also. The second valuation of 1863 as well as noting the early 19th century mill also records ' a new flour mill' driven by a 15'3'' diameter by 10' wide brest wheel. The threshing mill is no longer cited and a 12 hp stem engine is recorded. No trace of this now survives. The mill which worked 'day and night' containe five pairs of stones two for maize and three for wheat.

Judging from its style, and the date on the keystone on the side porch, it would appear that the present house was built in 1889, however it possible that the original dwelling was simply remodelled. The large portion to the rear however, (which includes an office), appears to have been added either in 1889 or later, perhaps the early 1900s.

The mill appears to have ceased flour production in the 1950s with much of the machinery subsequently removed.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS/6/3/30/1 OS map, Down sh 30, 1834
2 ‘OS Memoirs of Ireland, Parishes of Co Down IV’ ed. Angélique Day and Patrick McWilliams (QUB 1992), p.91
3 PRONI VAL/1B/386 1st valuation, Kilmore, c.1838
4 ‘Belfast and Province of Ulster directory’ (Henderson, Belfast News-Letter 1852-)
5 PRONI OS/6/3/30/2 OS map, Down sh 30, 1858
6 PRONI 2nd valuation, Kilmore, c.1863 [in print]
7 PRONI OS/6/3/30/3 OS map, Down sh 30, c.1901

Secondary sources
1 E.R.R. Green ‘The industrial archaeology of Co Down’ (Belfast HMSO 1963), p.46
2 C.E.B. Brett ‘Historic buildings…East Down’ (Belfast 1973), p.49-51
3. F. Hammond 'Rademan Flour Mill, Rademan TD, Ballynahinch Co Down, 21/01/89. ( EHS files).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Large flour mill complex built at various stages throughout the 19th century and consisting of a large part four, part two storey mill originally dating from c. 1804 - 16 with internal but greatly extended with the addition of the rubble - built taller section c. 1840s (which contains an internal waterwheel of note); a two storey house with attached offices, which may in origin date from c. 1810 - 20, but which was greatly extended and completely remodelled along typical late Victorian lines in 1889 +, and a long two storey gabled " warehouse" building and adjacent single storey "carthouse", both perhaps c. 1850s, but with the latter altered in subsequent years. The whole complex is an increasingly rare example of an intact and self contained industrial grouping picturesquely sited within an otherwise unaltered rural landscape. It is important for its historical development, technical interest, and as a good example of a once common type. It is of architectural interest for its siting, proportion, ornamentation, intact plan form and internal detail and for the group value of the buildings.