Standard Mill

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

The 'Standard Mill' is a large sprawling former spinning mill complex centred around two long, rubble-built two to three-storey ranges of c.1836-40, but with significant additions of c.1840s-50s and 1862-64. It was developed by the Murland family on the site of their pre-1834 bleachworks, and to the south is the original late Georgian style owner's house of c.1800, with its own collection of outbuildings to the rear. The mill ceased to be worked in 1930 and since then some of the structures have been converted to farm and, latterly, commercial use, whilst others have fallen into dereliction. The complex is situated at the base of a hill roughly 280m west of the former mill village of Annsborough. To the west is the site of the (now drained) mill pond, whilst to the south-west is a large modern housing development.

The description below refers to letters assigned to each building on the accompanying plan of the site.

The complex is arranged roughly as follows. To the north, (and forming the bulk of the whole concern), are two long L-shaped ranges of buildings lying parallel- range ‘E’, to the east, and range ‘H’, to the west. These are largely made up of the long, two to three-storey rubble-built blocks of the later 1830s, but with later, single and two-storey, add-ons of various dates from the 1840s-60s. The engine house lies at the northern end of 'H', with a large (mainly) single-storey shed-like building to the end of 'E', largely rebuilt in the mid 1900s. Between both ranges there is a long, relatively narrow yard, enclosed by gates at the northern and southern ends. To the south of 'E' is the free-standing block 'C', a long and relatively unaltered, hipped-roof range of 1862-64, with a much smaller, plainer, single-storey post-1920 shed situated to the east of this ('D'). To the north-east side of ‘E’ is a small single-storey weigh house (‘F’), whilst to the immediate west of 'H' is a corrugated metal, curved-roof shed of c.1910 ('I'), with a larger post-1920 corrugated metal structure to the south-east of this ('J').

To the south-west of 'H' are the structures associated with the mill-owner's house ('A'). Immediately behind (north) of the house is a long row of low two-storey farm / outbuildings of c.1840s ('B'), with the remnants of another collection of what appear to have been pre-1834 structures to the north and west of these ('M'). To the north again is a two-storey detached block also of probable pre-1834 construction ('L').

Building 'A'
The original mill owner’s home, this has been surveyed already under the ref. HB18/12/024.

Building 'B'
A long, low, two-storey range of outbuildings with rubble walls, brick dressed openings and a gabled slated roof. Many of the openings have been altered in the mid to later 20th century and now include several flat-arched vehicle entrances.

Building ‘C’
This is a large, two-storey rubble-built, hipped-roof building of 1862-64 formerly associated with the mill but now in use as a furniture store. It is located on sloping ground, with a retaining wall close to the façade on the western side forming an 'area'. To the rear there is a large lean-to addition of the later 1900s, whilst to the west there is a ‘bridge’ giving access from the raised ground to the first floor.

The building is now entered from the south end, where, to the right of centre, there is an enlarged modern door opening with paired glazed panelled doors, glazed sidelights and plain fanlight. The opening is protected with modern steel security doors and has a recent projecting slated canopy. Either side are segmental-headed window openings, whilst to first floor there are three evenly-spaced windows.

To the left of the three window openings on the west façade there is the ‘bridge’ accessing directly into the first floor. This is protected by a corrugated-iron structure with a segmental roof supported on decorative cast-iron columns with pierced flanges. The whole ensemble rests on a ‘half arched' (flying-buttress like) bridge structure. To the left there are a further four window openings, left of this is an advancing bay (stair well), and to the left again are a further three window openings.

To the north end of the building the later 1900s full width lean-to has obscured all of the original window openings.

To the right side of the east facade is a double height steel roller shutter door protecting a ‘normal height’ steel door. The main façade has fourteen windows to first floor with 12 windows and two doors to ground floor arranged from right to left as follows- 3xW – 1xD – 4W – 1xD – 5xW. The first door opening is normal width while the second (to the left side) is double width.

Window openings are all segmental-headed with straw coloured brick dressings. Sills are cut stone. The ground floor openings are all protected either with steel shutters or have been bricked up; some of the original 2/2 timber sash frames have survived. At first floor metal grills have been added. The one surviving original door opening (to the east side) has similar surrounds with a panelled timber door (fielded panels) with plain fanlight; a steel external security door has been added. Some door openings have been bricked up.

The roof is hipped and slated; ridges are protected with galvanised steel flashings. Eaves are without overhangs and rest on a corbelled brick course (straw coloured as before). Rainwater goods appear to be cast-iron. A chimneystack is set at either end of the ridge; both are constructed in straw-coloured brick and have a corbelled base and decorative corbelled caps; all pots are missing. The walls are constructed with random rubble Greywacke; corners have dressed granite quoins.

Building ‘D’
This is a plain, post-1920, single-storey rendered building with a corrugated asbestos-type roof. Its original function is uncertain.

Building ‘E’
Lying at the heart of the complex, this is a long interconnected range of buildings that appears largely constructed between c.1834 and 1864. For the purposes of easier description (and to aid the understanding of its historical development)- it has been divided into four sections- 'E1', 2, 3 and 4.

E1
At the southern end lies 'E1'. This consists of the remains of a largely demolished rubble building of c.1860s-70s, which has been formed into an industrial-style shed at some point in the mid 1900s with the addition of a corrugated-metal structure with corrugated asbestos gabled roof.

'E2
E2' consists of one of the original mill buildings of the later 1830s, a long, part two part three-storey hipped-roof, random rubble-built range, to the eastern side of which is a full-length two-storey, flat-roofed, rubble-built, addition of 1862-64. The older building, unlike most others within the complex, has a modicum of architectural pretension, having a large pediment (with 'oculus'-like motif and brick parapet) centred on its eastern side. The western side of the block is much more functional, having witnessed the addition of several early 20th century full-height brick and rendered toilet projections, with a brick stairwell projection towards the northern end of similar date, and a mid 1900s steel fire-escape stair to the opposite end.

The addition to the east is contemporary with block 'C' (see above) and shares similar general appearance. Due to the fall in site levels, the first floor of the addition is level with the ground floor of the main building. To the lower ground floor of the addition are a series of what look like stables, each having a door and window.

The window openings throughout both sections are flat-headed, but many have been boarded over or bricked up. Those on the original section have stone lintels while those to the addition have flat brick arched lintels (like block 'C'). Some timber window frames survive; these have top openers and multiple Georgian panes. On the first floor of the addition windows have been boarded over, and faux window frames are painted on the boarding. There are two main types of door opening, timber sheeted stable doors to the east side and double vehicle doors; the latter, which face into the enclosed yard, are also faced with timber sheeting and some are sliding doors. At first floor to the western side there are some first floor loading bay doors, some single and some double. Some door openings have been bricked up.

The roof of the original section is slated and has some large roof lights, mainly to the eastern side. Rainwater goods appear to have been cast-iron but are large sections are now missing.

E3
'E3' lies to the northern end of block 'E', and is of the 1840s to 1850s, but has been much altered in more recent years. It consists of a two-storey, hipped roof section to the north-eastern corner, and, to the south and east of this, a large single-storey section with a double-gabled roof. The latter is largely constructed of concrete blockwork but rises off the original rubble-stone wall. The north-eastern portion is in use as offices, whilst the remainder is now a warehouse for dry foodstuffs.

The northern wall is rendered, with the walls to the east and south constructed of random rubble raised with concrete blockwork. The southern wall has some (now blocked-up) openings similar to those on block 'C' and the addition to block 'E2', suggesting that in part this building may be of 1862-64. The hipped roof section is covered with natural slate and the remainder is roofed with industrial metal sheeting. Window openings are restricted to the first floor of the northern façade; these are flat-headed and small; these have steel security shutters. Door openings are all flat-headed; many of these have been crudely altered and all have steel-faced doors. Rainwater goods are part missing and are uPVC.

The present owner thought that this section was used for livestock production during WWII.

E4
Attached to the northern-western corner of block 'E' there is a lean-to single-storey section 'E4', which appears to be post-1920. Walls are rendered with ruled and lined finish. The roof is mainly single-pitch and is slated; rainwater goods are galvanised steel. Window and door openings are flat-headed; doors are timber panelled and windows are painted timber.

BLOCK 'F'
This is a small post-1920 weigh-house. Walls are rendered and have ruled and lined finish. The roof is hipped and covered with artificial slate and clay ridge tiles. On the south face there is a door opening; this is flat-headed but the door itself is missing. On the west face there is a boarded-up window opening. Internally the walls are rendered and have ruled and lined finish. The weighing machine is in place but there was no evidence of the weigh-bridge.

BLOCK 'G'
This is a mid to later 20th century farm building with breeze block and corrugated metal walls.

BLOCK 'H'
Block H is a long narrow L-shaped range that lies to the west side of block E. The block is composed of four separate parts, with ‘H1’ set at a right-angle at the northern end, and ‘H2’, ‘H3’ and ‘H4’, stretching southwards in linear fashion. The whole ensemble is somewhat more homogeneous than the others, being largely constructed of random rubble with slated gabled roofs, however H2, the former engine house, has seen significant alteration over the years.

H1
‘H1’ is a single-storey structure of c.1850 which originally housed workshops, offices, staff canteen and the blacksmith’s forge. The walls are random Greywacke rubble with dressed granite to openings and quoins. The roof is pitched and covered with natural slate with rendered skews, whilst the rainwater goods are cast-iron although much is now missing. There is one door opening to the east façade, but otherwise all doors and windows are on the south façade. Openings are flat-headed and mainly have flat, brick arches. Some openings have been enlarged. Window frames are timber and have multiple Georgian-like panes, some are fixed lights and some are sliding sash. Doors are timber sheeted. Those to the workshops have sliding double doors.

H2
‘H2’is a relatively large two-storey structure whose southern half served as the engine house, (first, believed to be tha site of a large water wheel (now removed) and later a steam engine and later still, turbines- also removed), with the northern half a store for finished product and also contained twin boilers, which are still in situ. Both have maker’s name embossed on the firebox doors ‘PENMAN & Co. Ltd. GLASGOW’. The northern section is now a roofless shell. The southern section, which latterly held the turbines, has a large brick projection to its eastern (yard-facing) front, which was undoubtedly added when the turbines themselves were introduced, c.1900-10. This brick portion contains a large door opening with paired glazed timber panelled doors, flanked with plain sidelights and surmounted by large overlights with multiple Georgian-like panes. To the left and the southern side of the projection there are similar large windows. The projection is surmounted by a large overhanging timber-clad lean-to structure; from which extends an iron-clad enlosed ‘bridge’, which spans from H2 across the yard to E3 and no doubt carried power to that section.

H3
‘H3’ is part of one of the two original mill ranges of the later 1830s. Like much of the rest of block ‘H’, its walls are constructed of random rubble with dressed granite quoins, with the southern gable (rising above the abutting H4), rendered. The gable-ended roof is slated and has a series of large (now mainly blocked) roof lights. Window openings are evenly arranged, they are flat-headed with fixed frames and multiple Georgian panes; lintels are stone but some have been replaced in concrete. To the ground floor there are a series of doors; these all appear to have been altered in some way; some enlarged some with roller shutters added.

H4
This is a two-storey section which although lower than H3, matches the latter in terms of materials and overall appearance and appears to have been constructed at the same time (c.1836). To the eastern side is a relatively large, crudely constructed late 20th century shed arrangement, built from blockwork and metal cladding. Most door and window openings to the original section have been boarded or bricked up. .

I
This is a corrugated-iron clad shed with segmental-arched roof dating from c.1910. A later pair of timber-sheeted doors is set to the left side of the entrance gable, and some of the cladding itself has fallen away. This may contain a Belfast Truss roof, however, the owner was unable to locate the padlock key; he also noted that there is a ceiling which would obscure any clear view of the trusses.

J
This is a large double-piled post-1920 shed. It has a masonry base and corrugated-iron clad upper section.

K
This range appears to be of late 19th century construction (certainly post-1858), but was largely rebuilt in the later 1900s in concrete blocks.

M
This rubble-built block, which appears to have been pre-1832 and may have been part of the original bleachworks, has been largely demolished (or has simply collapsed). To the west side a modern industrial shed has been constructed. .

CHIMNEYSTACK
To the rear of ‘H2’ is a large octagonal industrial brick chimneystack. The original ‘tulip top’ was removed in the late twentieth-century. The upper section of the chimneystack is encased by a grid of structural metal straps.

BRIDGE AND CULVERT
To the east side of Block E there is a small bridge and a culvert. These allow vehicle access to the rear of the site. Each is constructed with rubble stone and has dressed granite voussoirs. The culvert opening is segmental-headed and has a keystone; the bridge arch is semi-circular-headed. The spent from the original water wheel ran through a channel with rubble sides. The bridge has a crude handrail while the culvert edge is unprotected.

MILL POND
To the west of Block J there is a mill pond. The embankment recently subsided with resultant loss of water; the pond is now a mud flat.

MAIN GATE
The original gates are missing. The unremarkable, square gate posts had pyramidal caps but these are now damaged. Beside the gates is a small gate lodge-style building.

Historical information

The history of this former spinning mill complex can be traced back 1800, when brothers William (c.1762-1831) and James Murland (c.1774-1850), the sons of a tanner from Portaferry, acquired two bleachgreens in the area. Both built houses next to their respective greens, 'Wood Lodge', William's house on the higher ground to the hill top to the west, with James's residence, 'Annsborough' [HB18/12/024], on the lower ground to the north-east. The Murlands' business thrived and by 1816 they were finishing between 7,000-8,000 pieces per year. At some point around c.1826, (there is uncertainty about the actual date), James built a spinning mill close to the roadside to the south of his house. This mill [HB18/11/050], the first of its kind in Ireland to utilise the revolutionary new 'wet' spinning process enabling the manufacture of fine yarns, was an immediate success and was to lead to the development of a second, larger spinning mill which was to grow into the present complex.

The site for this new second mill was to close James's original bleachworks, to the rear (north) of Annsborough House itself. ERR Green dates the establishment of this second mill to 1836, when what he refers to as the 'New Mill' on the western side of the present complex (H3-4 on the accompanying plan) was completed. However a 'thread factory' is recorded in the valuation of June 1834, which the valuers state consisted of a two-storey building measuring 55ft x 26. This 'factory' may have been an adaptation of an older building associated with the bleachworks, as it is graded as 'not new' by the valuers. No other 'factory' buildings are listed by the valuers within the immediate vicinity, the remainder of the structures 'work houses' relating to the 'bleaching establishment' which are recorded as amounting to 98 x 23 x 9½, 23 x 24 x 23, 42 x 24 x 17½, 10½ x 20 x 6, and 10½ x 20 x 6, with a lapping room of 49 x 19 x 13½, and a 'drying house' of 52 x 22 x 17. The dwelling house is noted as measuring 45 x 23 x 19, with returns of 56 x 19 x 7 and 16 x 19 x 14½, outbuildings of 22 x 20 x 10½ and 37 x 17½ x 10 and stables of 61 x 18½ x 10, 72 x 27 x 15, with the whole concern -house, bleachworks and factory- rated at a highly respectable £59-6-2.

Judging by the OS map of 1834 work must have commenced on the construction of the purpose-built spinning factory within that year, as long ranges closely resembling the present H3-4 and its larger hipped-roof near neighbour to the east (E2), are both depicted. As neither of these are mentioned by the valuers, we must assume either that work on them commenced post-June of that year (after the valuation had been carried out), or that, as unfinished structures, they were not worthy of the valuers' interest. It is possible, also, that the map itself was annotated a few years later to include the buildings- a rare, but not unknown occurrence. Whatever the case, Green implies that the construction of the new factory, initially involved the building of the aforementioned 'New Mill' (H3-4) alone, however, both the map evidence (if indeed contemporary) would seem to indicate otherwise. Moreover, a potted history of the business published in GH Bassett's 1886 'County Down Guide and Directory' states that the 'New mill's' larger near neighbour to the east, block E2, ('240 feet long and 50 feet wide') dates from 1836. It is probable that both were built around the same time, or within quick succession of each other, although it must be said that the smaller and slightly plainer western block looks the older of the two. Whether either, or both, were actually complete in 1836 is doubtful, however, for the OS Memoirs of November of that year remark that the 'manufactory will be an extremely fine one when completed', whilst Lewis, writing the following year refers to the mill 'in the course of erection'. Lewis, like the Memoir writer was clearly impressed with the enterprise nonetheless, referring to its large scale and 50ft water wheel.

It is possible that the new factory was not fully operational until around 1840, for James Murland told the Hand-Loom Weavers Inquiry Assistant Commissioner in 1839 that although he employed 300 workers, he would soon need between 400 and 500. To house this growing number of employeees, Murland, like many other contemporary mill owners, began to develop a small village, 'Annsborough', to the east of the mills. In 1836 he added a school to the settlement, and it was later to have a newsroom also. In the later 1840s the business was also expanding, the neighbouring bleachworks at Greenvale having been acquired. By the time of his death in 1850, James Murland 's endeavours had transformed the economic, social and physical landscape of the Annsborough area.

At the heart of this landscape was the second mill. On the revised OS map of 1858 it is shown dominated by the two main parallel blocks, (E2 and H3-4), with the engine house to the north end of the latter (H2) and the long range set at a right-angle to the right of this (H1) also shown, as well as the large single storey shed-like structure to the north end of E2 (E3). Various buildings to the south are also present, some of which appear to be pre-1834 bleachwork survivors, including an extensive collection of outbuildings associated with the house and a long structure to the north-east of this on the site of the present block C. To the immediate south of this was the gasometer which supplied lighting for the factory (both this and the original 1820s mill appear to have been gas-lit from the beginning), and to the west is the mill pond, much enlarged from its 1834 extent.

Unfortunately no dimensions are recorded in the c.1861 valuation, merely a note concerning some additional single-storey 'offices' -apparently not recorded in 1834- measuring 17yds x 11, 85 x 6 (possibly the building on the site of present block C), 35 x 18 and 20 x 20. An annotation to this valuation of September 1862 states that 'new buildings' were 'in progress' at that point, with an amendment of the following year noting an increase in the rateable value of the premises from £270 to £430. The new buildings in question were undoubtedly the long two-storey flat-roofed addition to the eastern side of block E2, and the long free-standing hipped-roof range to the south of this (block C). They were built to take advantage of a boom in the market created by the American Civil War, under the directions of the late James Murland's four sons, the youngest and most energetic of who, Charles Murland (1820-87), also undertook the construction of a new bleachworks at the neighbouring Greenvale at the same time.

Under Charles' stewardship, the business continued to progress during the final decades of the 19th century, and by the mid 1880s the firm of James Murland could boast 100 power looms, 10,000 spindles, 1,000 employees and offices in Belfast, Glasgow, London, Paris, Berlin and New York. Despite all of this the mill itself appears to have witnessed no major new additions, bar the building of a 'preparing house' in 1873-74 (possibly block E1), and the brick projections to the engine house and the west side of E2, which probably date from c.1900-10. An illustration of the premises, in or just before 1886,published in the above-mentioned County Down Guide and Directory, depicts a scene very similar to that of today.

In 1903 the business was formed into a private limited company, James Murland Ltd., owned and run largely by members of the Ferguson family, in-laws of Charles Murland's son, the late Clotworthy Warren Murland. Changing economic circumstances following the First World War proved difficult for the company to cope with, and the old mill was forced to close in 1927, with work ceasing at the second mill in 1930. The firm was acquired by the Ulster Weaving Company of Belfast in 1937, who continued the to operate the Greenvale bleachworks until the early 2000s. Since closure the second, or 'Standard Mill' as it became known, has witnessed various uses, with part of the complex housing a large pig farm during the Second World War. It is now split into a number of different units, including a furniture store and warehouse for dry foodstuffs.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI T2215/3 Volume of Annesley Estate maps, 1814-16
2 PRONI VAL/1A/3/43 OS map, Co. Down, sheet 43, with valuation
references, 1834
3 PRONI VAL/1B/363A First valuation, Kilmegan parish, June 1834
4 PRONI D13356/8/11-15 James Murland / James Murland Ltd., deeds, accounts etc., 1834-1905
5 OS Memoirs, Kilmegan Parish, November 1836, reprinted in 'OS Memoirs of Ireland, County Down I', eds Angelique Day and Patrick McWilliams, (QUB, 1990)
6 Lewis, Samuel, 'Topographical Dictionary of Ireland', (London, 1837)
7 PRONI VAL/2A/3/43B OS map, Co. Down, sheet 43, with valuation references, 1858(-c.61)
8 PRONI VAL/2B/3/63A Second valuation, Kilmegan parish, c.1861(-63)
9 PRONI VAL/12B/18/4A Annual valuation revision book, Castlewellan Electoral District, 1864-76
10 PRONI VAL/12B/18/4B Annual valuation revision book, Castlewellan Electoral District, 1877-89
11 Bassett, George Henry, 'County Down Guide and Directory' (Belfast, 1886), p.145
12 PRONI VAL/12B/18/4C Annual valuation revision book, Castlewellan Electoral District, 1889-96
13 PRONI VAL/12B/18/4D Annual valuation revision book, Castlewellan Electoral District, 1897-1909
14 PRONI OS/6/3/43/3 OS map, Co. Down, sheet 43, 1901
15 VAL/12B/18/4E Annual valuation revision book, Castlewellan Electoral District, 1910-20
16 PRONI OS/6/3/43/4 OS map, Co. Antrim, sheet 25, 1919
17 PRONI VAL/12A/3/37 Valuers' office notebook, Rural district of Downpatrick, 1919-21
18 PRONI VAL/3B/4/5 First general revaluation of Northern Ireland, Castlewellan Urban electoral district, 1935
19 PRONI VAL/3C/4/12 First general revaluation of Northern Ireland, Castlewellan Urban electoral district, 1936-57
20 PRONI VAL/4B/3/35 Second general revaluation of Northern Ireland, Castlewellan Urban electoral district, 1957-72

Secondary sources
1 Gill, Conrad, 'The Rise of the Irish Linen Industry' (Oxford, 1923)
2 Green, E.R.R., 'The Industrial Archaeology of County Down', (Belfast, 1963), pp.32-33
3 NIEA HB18/12/021 First survey notes, 'Annsborough Mill...', August 1974
4 Rankin, P.J., 'Mourne Area of South Down' (Belfast, 1975)
5 McCutcheon, W.A., 'The Industrial Archaeology of Northern Ireland', (Belfast, 1980)
6 Armstrong, David L., 'The Growth of Industry in Northern Ireland...', (Oxford, 1999)
7 Rankin, Kathleen, 'The Linen Houses of the Bann Valley' (Belfast, 2007), pp.4-19
8 Information supplied by owner of part of the mill complex, April 2009

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

With its largest structures dating from the later 1830s, the Standard Mill is one of the earliest surviving large-scale industrial complexes within Northern Ireland, predating the buildings at similarly-sized enterprises at Belfast, Sion Mills, Carrickfergus and Comber. In its local context at Annsborough, it is the centrepiece of what was a relatively densely developed industrial landscape, with an earlier mill of the 1820s to the south-east, and bleachworks of the 1860s to the south-west. Its group value is strengthened by the survival, right next to the complex itself, of the original late-Georgian mill-owner's residence (HB18/12/024). This mill may not possess the striking aesthetic qualities of some others such as Herdman's Mill at Sion Mills but it is constructed of quality materials and is robustly detailed. It is of considerable historical importance within the local area as a piece of early industrial heritage.