Islandreagh Dyeing and Finishing Company

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A former beetling mill complex and dye works, built c.1810, located to the south of Islandreagh Drive. The complex is roughly L-shaped, with principal buildings consisting of a two-storey multi-bay beetling shed (Beetling shed 1) aligned E-W and long single-storey beetling shed (Beetling shed 3) aligned S-W and extended to S by a pair of roofless double-height dye houses. The dye houses are located opposite the W gable of Beetling shed 1 and the space between them forms an entry into a double-height turbine house (Beetling shed 2) which abuts and links both blocks at S. There is a boiler house with industrial chimney at west, and a mill office to north.

Beetling shed 1:
Two-storey multi-bay with attic, rectangular on plan. Roof is pitched natural slate with brick eaves; half-round cast-iron rainwater goods. Walling is random rubble stone in lime mortar. Windows are timber 2/2 sashes with brick dressings and concrete sills (some 1/1 insertions, some partially infilled with ventilation louvers).

The principal elevation (north) is ten openings wide at each floor, including t&g sheeted door at extreme right with two-light transom. The left end is built into a bank, accessed by an ascending flight of concrete steps.

Left gable is single-storey and abutted by a lean-to shed of modern concrete construction. To its right is a former door opening infilled with rubble stone; red brick platband delineates attic level, which is lit by two windows.

The south elevation is as north, with left bay projecting slightly and abutted at ground floor by the machine house; the exposed first floor has a segmental-headed opening infilled with brick. Remainder has eight openings at each floor, including panelled timber door (partially sheeted over).

Right gable has a number of openings to ground floor set close to ground level; all have rubble stone voussoirs (unless otherwise stated). From left, a window with cement reveals; a rubble stone infilled door opening with remains of axle housing set into a mortice formed in brick; an opening infilled with six-pane fixed timber window with brick apron infill and crude cement finish to reveals; a segmental-headed t&g sheeted loading door set above ground level – above is fixed a grooved wheel on an axle which spans the entry and is fixed with corresponding wheel to the dye house opposite. First floor has a window to each side and a loading door infilled with fixed four-light windows and timber sheeted panel; double-header relieving arch over. Attic is lit by two windows. Also affixed to the gable and spanning entry are a steel I-beam with chains, and a timber beam with pulley attachments.

A mill stream flows under the beetling shed at south, by means of a bridged two-span inlet with elliptical-headed arches formed in brick.

Beetling shed 3:
Single-storey multi-bay, all having M-profile artificially slated double hipped roof with the exception of right bay which is gabled with perpendicular ridge. Ridge and hip tiles are roll-topped. Walling and windows are detailed as main block (with some casement replacements).

East elevation is fifteen openings wide to hipped section. To right of centre four brick piers project from the wall-head supporting a lean-to corrugated metal canopy, with lower end supported on steel supports. The canopy covers an elliptical-headed vehicular entrance door with smaller window to left; to right of these openings, most windows are infilled with brick. To extreme left is a single bay gabled engine room with double-height opening consisting of a double-leaf t&g sheeted door surmounted by a round-headed six-light fixed window, all in brick reveals.

North elevation is symmetrical, three openings wide with central casement to each section, remainder infilled with brick.

West elevation is as east, although many windows are infilled or have replacement casements.

South elevation is abutted by the roofless block.

Dye houses:
These adjoining blocks are double-height and roofless; a curved profile to south elevation suggests former Belfast truss roof structure. Otherwise detailed as main block with vestiges of lime render to west elevation. Multi-pane timber windows: nine-pane with three-light top-opening casement to east elevation, twelve-pane and six-pane to west. Dye house 2 bridges a mill race which passes underneath at a skew.

The south elevation is abutted by a variety of corrugated metal structures including a canopied lean-to dye house extension and a pitched roof structure raised on steel supports over a partially open enclosure bounded by low concrete wall.

Beetling shed 2:
Double height single-bay structure, rectangular on plan with corrugated metal roof over Belfast truss structure; plastic rainwater goods. Walling is rubble stone, laid to courses. Windows are nine-pane without sills, with heads at eaves level.

East elevation has six window openings; there are a number of openings, variously infilled, at ground level, including a door opening with rubble stone voussoirs and metal roller door.

South elevation has a segmental headed door opening with brick head.

West elevation is abutted by corrugated metal sheds.

Entry is at north, which has corrugated metal walls and a pair of steel doors.

Set parallel to the machine house at east is a sluice, with remains of sluice gate to north end.

Boiler House:

Double-height rectangular block located immediately to rear (west) of the single storey range and connected to it by a system of pipes. A square-on-plan chimney rises to approximately 100ft in height and is located at the west end; it has a corbelled cap and metal straps are fixed to the shaft at regular intervals. The boiler house has two vehicular entrance openings at east gable; that to left has a segmental relieving arch over timber lintel and remains of timber sheeted doors; that to right is fixed with corrugated metal sliding doors. There is a glazed roundel to apex. Remaining elevations are blank.

Mill Offices:
Detached single storey three-bay mill office located to north east of the complex. Rectangular on plan with central lean-to projecting porch. Pitched natural slate roof, angled ridge tiles, cast-iron rainwater goods. Walling is random rubble stone with brick quoins. Windows are timber 2/2 sliding sash with concrete sills and brick dressings.

Principal elevation has porch to centre, detailed as remainder with quoins; corrugated metal roof; four-panel timber door with sidelights and transom, accessed by two stone steps. Two windows to either side of porch.

Gables are blank. Rear was not accessed.

Setting:
The mill complex is set at the base of a secluded sloping site, accessed from Islandreagh Drive and branching off the main tree-lined avenue to Islandreagh House, which crosses the railway line by means of a rubble stone bridge. The river runs directly to west of the complex and the entire site is sheltered by mature trees and surrounded by pasture.

Historical information

McCutcheon notes a “… remarkable concentration of industrial activity in the valley of the Six Mile Water, largely dependent on water power and an adequate supply of river water for processing.”

A substantial L-shaped building, similar in plan to that shown on the current edition, appears on the first edition OS map of 1833. The Townland valuation of 1837 records a ‘Beetling mill & offices’ occupied by Robert Benson, and having ‘bleaching concourse & washmen’s house’ attached. The value is given as £40.4s.2d.

The OS Memoirs of 1838 mentions the mill in brief terms: “There is a beetling and bleach mill on the Six Mile Water, townland of Islandreagh, property of Mr Ferguson of Belfast.” (p.86)

The second edition of 1857 shows the building, marked ‘Beetling mill’. Griffiths Valuation records ‘House, offices & Bleach mill’ valued at £50, leased by Robert Benson from (Reps.) Wm. Ferguson. The value has latterly been scored out and replaced with £17. A note reads, “The greater part of the machinery belongs to the landlord.” The valuer’s description is as follows: “8 engines, with beams 10ft long, height of beetles, 5ft 4in, depth 3 ½ inches, raised 10 inches, works day and night for 6 months in the year, and during the remaining 10 hours a day; there are two marching mangles, two pairs of wash feet, and one callendar.”

The fourth edition OS map of 1928 shows the building as ‘Islandreagh Dye Works’.

The valuation revision of 1883 notes that the premises had burnt down. The following year they were taken over by Samuel McClure and rebuilt. The entry for 1885 reads “Formerly a bleaching mill. Now only a beetling mill with 8 engines driven by water. Buildings three storeys but no part used except the ground floor.”

Between 1897 and 1902 the valuation of the premises increases substantially, from £40 to £100. The 1900 valuation notes ‘new buildings’.

A report by Dr Fred Hamond (1993) states that dyeing operations ceased around 1939. During the war, part of the site was used by James Mackie & Sons for the manufacture of ammunition and machine tools. Beetling continued under the owner, Sam McClure, until the early 1980s.

At the time of the 1993 report, Hamond notes that the ground floor of Beetling Shed 1 had recently housed 2 rows of beetling engines of wood-framed and cast-iron construction. “Wiper beams have a double series of projecting wipers, and the 11 ½” cloth beams are of wood (for linen) and metal (for cotton). They were driven by two Liffel turbines located at the centre of the building and supplied by the millpond to south. All machinery and transmission shafts remained intact with the exception of the turbines and three beetling engines”. Hamond also notes the presence of 9 wooden trusses of memel pine from Latvia, imported by JP Corry and transported by rail. “They combine elements of both king- and queen-post trusses, neither of which would have been capable of spanning the 50+ft by themselves.”

Primary Sources:
1. PRONI OS/6/1/50/1 – 1st Edition OS map (1833)
2. PRONI OS/6/1/50/2 – 2nd Edition OS map (1857)
3. PRONI OS/6/1/50/3 – 3rd Edition OS map (1903)
4. PRONI OS/6/1/50/4 – 4th Edition OS map (1928)
5. PRONI VAL/1A/1/50 – Townland Valuation Map (1837)
6. PRONI VAL/1B/129B - Townland Valuation Fieldbook (1837)
7. PRONI VAL/2A/50B - Griffiths Valuation Map (1859)
8. PRONI VAL/2B/1/11 - Griffiths Valuation Fieldbook (1859)
9. PRONI VAL/12B/1/17A-D - Valuation Revisions Notebooks (1883-1902)

Secondary Sources:
1. McCutcheon, W.A; The Industrial Archaeology of Northern Ireland; HMSO, 1980
2. Hamond, F; Islandreagh Finishing Works (report); 1993)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Islandreagh Beetling Mill is a well-preserved early nineteenth century mill complex located along the Six Mile Water in an area which developed largely through highly concentrated industrial activity. The mill represents the development and evolution of industry within the area, having been a bleachworks, a dyeworks and, for a short period, an ammunition factory; this archaeology is represented in the buildings. The main beetling shed roof is supported on unusual composite trusses . The quality of the buildings is enhanced by an unaltered riverside setting and the complex is of considerable local interest.