Threshing mill

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

This water-powered threshing mill is located a short distance north of a block of farm outbuildings associated with The Grove (HB19/01/061A). It comprises a two-storey-over-basement, single-bay building aligned E-W at the bottom of a gentle slope down from the farmyard to its south. It measures 29ft 9in long x 22ft wide x 15ft high, with a 6ft 6in deep basement.
Pitched natural slate roof (some ridge tiles and slates missing). Lime rendered rubble masonry walls with brick eaves course (render missing in places). No rainwater goods. Square-headed timber-sheeted doors in south and west elevations at ground floor level. The former is a half door and is set within a segmental brick head; this brickwork is a 20th century repair (cement-rich mortar). Basement lit by opening on W gable. Ground floor lit by openings on N and S walls. Top floor lit by opening in apex of W gable and by three small square openings along N and S elevations. All these openings were shuttered, but their frames are now missing. The E gable is devoid of openings.
Directly above the door at the W end of the S elevation is a small recessed square datestone reading AD 1836, undoubtedly the date of the building’s construction.
External high-breastshot waterwheel in middle of N elevation. Measures 12ft 0in diameter by 2ft 7½ in wide. Its axle, hubs and rims are of cast-iron; the latter are tied to one another with wrought-iron rods. Two sets of six timber arms, now mostly missing. The 36 angled buckets and soleplate were also of timber but have disintegrated as well. Cast-iron segment spur gear attached to inner arms. Drives cast-iron bull nut at 12 o’clock position, from which cast-iron axle runs into basement. Sluice gate directly above waterwheel missing.
Mill pond directly behind E gable also infilled, as is headrace in vicinity of mill. Partly culverted tailrace still evident running W along side of lane to adjacent property.
Projecting from the middle of the S elevation is a metal shaft. Its outer end is supported on a vertical metal post mounted on a rubble masonry base. It originally drove to a second shaft (now gone) which powered a woodworking lathe in an outbuilding directly south of the mill.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Lime rendered random rubble
Windows: Timber shutters (missing)
RWG: None

Historical information

The 1836 datestone testifies to the building’s erection in that year. It is shown on the 1857 OS map as an outbuilding associated with the ‘The Grove’ (not on 1832 map). The first Valuation book of 1834 makes no mention of this building. However, a later (undated) update notes a building which matches its dimensions. It is described as a corn kiln measuring 30ft long x 21ft wide x 18ft high. Although a corn kiln is also mentioned in the original first Valuation entry, this appears to be a completely new one (as implied by the 1836 datestone). The new corn kiln’s dimensions are also repeated in the 1859 Valuation. Mark Peel is the occupant of the property in both 1834 and 1859.
The 1857 OS map shows a watercourse leading from the Rooghan River to the corn kiln; there also appears to be a small pond directly behind its E gable. This suggests that mechanical power was now being applied within the building, i.e. it was no longer being used as a kiln.
The Valuation revision books record The Grove passing to Joseph, William, Michael and Mark Peel in the 1860s. Mark and Joseph are the owners from c.1879, Mark from c.1882, and Mark and John from c.1884. By 1894, Mark Peel is in sole charge. The books’ designation of the building as a corn kiln is dropped from 1892 onwards (but no other use is given).
The 1901 OS map shows The Grove and outbuildings (including the one under review) in their present form. The aforementioned headrace is also shown.
The map and valuation book evidence indicates that the present farmyard dates from the second half of the 19th century. The 1836 corn kiln already existed. There is no evidence for any mechanical process being carried on inside the building except for threshing. This must have started before 1857 as the map shows a headrace to the mill at this time.
The transverse metal beams on the ground floor probably date from the building’s use as a grain kiln (the timber beams above them are too massive to have required strengthening at a later date with the insertion of the metal beams).
Whether the present machinery pre-dated 1857 is, however, debatable. The style of the existing waterwheel and drives to the machinery is more reminiscent of late 19th and early 20th installations.
The balance of evidence suggests that the original corn kiln was converted to a water-powered threshing mill sometime before 1857, but that the thresher was replaced with the present apparatus in the late 1800s or early 1900s.

References – Primary sources:
1. PRONI OS/6/1/63/1. First edition OS six-inch map, Co Antrim sheet 63 (1832).
2. PRONI VAL/1B/167, p.73. First valuation book, 1834.
3. 1836 datestone on building.
4. PRONI OS/6/1/63/2. Second edition OS six-inch map, Co Antrim sheet 63 (1857).
5. PRONI VAL/2B/1/55A, p.23. Second valuation book, 1859.
6. PRONI VAL/12B/8/8A-D, Valuation revison books (1862-1929).
7. PRONI OS/10/1/63/5/1, First edition OS 25-inch map, Co Antrim sheet 63-05 (1901).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
Z. Rarity

Evaluation

Detached three-storey, single-bay water-powered threshing mill associated with adjacent farm complex known as The Grove(HB19/01/061A). The conversion of the original corn kiln of 1836 to a water-powered threshing mill is embodied in its fabric with original datestone and original internal metal beams for former kiln still in place. Its interior and contents are largely intact except for part of the floor and several minor ancillary machines. The mill’s juxtaposition to the farmyard and group value with 'The Grove' also enhance its interest. Historically, the mill is of local interest in reflecting the farming practices of a prosperous South Antrim farmer in the later 1800s. A rare survival, such mills, once common, have now mostly been demolished or lost their machinery.

General comments

Criteria R,S and T also apply.