Edenderry Mill, Edenderry Industrial Estate, 326 Crumlin Road, Belfast BT14 7EE

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

During the course of the listing process, the building had planning pemission consented - Z/2007/2626/F - these works are now partially complete. The description below refers to works prior to the enacting of the above permission.

A large rectangular five-storey red brick building, formerly a linen mill, but now the nucleus of an industrial estate, with lower two and three-storey blocks and a tall octagonal chimney connected to the south end. Mounted on all four corners of the mill, and on the toilet projection on the east side are modern telephone antennae. The main elevation faces east and the original entrance hall, a covered way, now partly unroofed, between the main mill and a lower block to the south, also faced east.

MAIN MILL BLOCK:

EAST ELEVATION OF MILL is 5-storeys high, and 27 windows wide; with a later 2-storey flat roofed block, the former engine room, projecting forward at the first four bays from the left, and a later 5-storey flat roofed extension, comprising toilet accommodation, one window wide, projecting forward at the 16th bay from the left. Roof is hipped, behind a parapet, covering not known; walls of main block are of red brick with a moulded sandstone plinth, painted projecting brick frieze with moulded sandstone cornice at each floor level, and a large projecting moulded sandstone cornice to the top storey carried on two courses of yellow angled brick corbels. At right-hand extremity the wall breaks forward slightly to form an end pier which contains narrow ventilation openings at upper levels. At ground floor level the pier is rendered with a dry dash finish.
Modern steel stairway attached to right-hand end rising to a later doorway in first floor at end bay; above later doorway is a later projecting ventilation unit occupying a complete window. Windows are large rectangular timber fixed lights divided by a transom and mullion, surmounted by two-pane top-hung vents, which appears to be the original arrangement, set in segmental brick arched openings with plain reveals; cills formed by moulded plinth and string courses. A number of ground floor windows on east elevation are blocked up on the inside with concrete blockwork.
On the fourth floor the first 4 windows at the south end have been later blocked with glass bricks.
On the third floor the fourth window opening from the end has had a doorway inserted, leading onto the flat roof of the projecting block below.
The 5-storey toilet projection is of similar walling to main block; window to ground floor is now blocked up with brickwork and contains a small rectangular timber window; windows in the storeys above are as previous to main block but incorporate more opening vents; side walls of projection are blank containing only modern metal ventilator grilles. On the north side of the toilet projection is a later single storey flat roofed addition in plain red brick, containing modern rectangular timber and metal windows with projecting concrete cills; cast iron rainwater goods.
The first ground floor window to the left of the toilet projection has been later blocked with concrete blockwork and contains a modern steel door. The second and third ground floor bays to the left of the toilet projection have been later opened up to form a large rectangular doorway containing a steel roller door with projecting metal pelmet. The sixth bay to left of that contains a later ground floor doorway formed from an enlarged window opening: modern rectangular steel door and side panel.

SOUTH ELEVATION OF MILL: 5-storey, with parapet roof, 4 window openings wide; walling as previous to east elevation. Windows are generally as previous to east elevation except second bay from left on upper three floors are bricked up in recessed reveals; two windows to third floor are blocked with glazed bricks. Ground floor window to left has had a steel grille inserted. The main feature is a large semi-circular arched window and door opening occupying two storeys at ground floor: it is approached by twin flights of sandstone steps leading to a short podium; railings to steps now missing; three-bay doorscreen comprises square timber piers containing a doorway to the left but with the other two openings closed up with concrete blockwork. Doorway comprises one arched and panelled original timber door with a modern flush door. Above the frieze is a large four-light semi-circular arched window, set in a moulded painted sandstone or rendered surround rising from the first floor frieze and cornice; tracery consists of 5 circular timber colonnettes with floriated capitals, semi-circular arch and three circular tracery lights, all in roll-moulded timber. Between the two left-hand window bays is a 5-storey high later projecting corrugated iron hoist.
Projecting from the elevation at high level angled down to the roof of the former boiler house standing apart to the south is a cylindrical pipe, an original feature.

Extending to the left at first floor level is a high-level link block to the sheds at the west: comprises a plain modern red brick gable with PVC downpipes.

WEST ELEVATION OF MILL: 5-storey high and similar character to east elevation, with a later link block at the south end projecting at first floor level connecting to a large shed block to the west, and an overhead duct projecting from the northern extremity connecting with the shed block to the west. Ends of elevation break forward to form shallow piers; ground floor wall at left-hand extremity has had the pier later rendered with a dry dash of white limestone chippings. Windows are as previous to east elevation but those on ground floor to left of the link block have been bricked up; last two windows to right, within alleyway have had steel grilles inserted. First window opening from left within alleyway has been truncated at top and contains a rectangular timber 4-pane fixed light. Second opening from left within alleyway contains the main entrance to the main stairway of the mill: rectangular doorway with door missing, surmounted by an arched two-pane fanlight, unglazed; jambs of doorway at bottom have original cast iron protectors. Ground floor walling within the alleyway below the link has been later painted over.
North side of first floor link block comprises a plain modern red brick gable with asbestos downpipes.
Alleyway below link has a flat ceiling carried on steel girders.

NORTH ELEVATION OF MILL: 5-storey with parapet roof, 4 windows wide; walling as previous to east elevation except entire ground floor is rendered with a dry dash, and end piers of elevation are plain, without ventilator slits. Ground floor contains one opening only, a rectangular doorway containing a smaller rectangular flush steel fire door; windows in floors above are as previous except the one to extreme left on 2nd floor is obscured by a later large ventilation unit attached.

NEW ENGINE HOUSE, PROJECTING FROM LEFT-HAND EXTREMITY OF EAST FAÇADE OF MILL:

EAST ELEVATION OF NEW ENGINE HOUSE is 2-storeys high, containing two large semi-circular arched window openings, now partly blocked with brickwork to contain two windows each. Walling is of red brick with a moulded sandstone plinth and a painted projecting brick frieze with moulded sandstone cornice and brick blocking course. Projecting moulded sandstone string course, painted, which arches over the two window recesses, with projecting keystones. First floor windows are semi-circular arched, timber four-light fixed panes with lower opening vents. Ground floor windows are large rectangular timber fixed four-light, with transom and mullions.

NORTH ELEVATION OF NEW ENGINE HOUSE is of similar character to east: contains one large semi-circular arched opening which has been later partly blocked with brick to form a large modern timber ground floor doorscreen, and an arched first floor window as previous; doorscreen contains a pair of modern aluminium double doors, leading onto a short concrete podium approached by a ramp and steps.

SOUTH ELEVATION OF NEW ENGINE HOUSE visible within the covered alleyway: walling of brickwork with moulded stone plinth painted over; contains a large timber doorcase comprising a pair of fluted pilasters ornamented with laurel wreaths, carrying a shallow pediment which is dated 1908; doorway contains a pair of panelled double doors, flanked by side panels and surmounted by blind fanlights; approached by a flight of stone or composition steps with a curved podium or plinth to each side formed of smooth rendered brickwork.

TWO AND THREE-STOREY BLOCK TO SOUTH OF MILL: this consists of the original three-storey boiler house with later two-storey extensions built over its east and south faces:

EAST ELEVATION OF BLOCK TO SOUTH: 2-storey with parapet roof, 14 windows wide to first floor. Walling of red brick with moulded sandstone plinth, and painted brickwork projecting frieze and moulded sandstone cornice to each storey, with a painted brick blocking course to the parapet; the wall breaks forward at each extremity to form slightly projecting end bays each three windows wide to the first floor.
First floor windows are as previous to the main mill block. Ground floor openings are as follows: end bay to left contains two ground floor windows, semi-circular arched with arched roll-moulded timber tracery, later altered to contain small rectangular opening vents, set in plain reveals which are recessed in rounded reveals, with a battered face to the brickwork below.
The main wall contains a series of plain semi-circular blind brick arched recesses which have been later painted to represent traceried windows; small ocular ventilator openings in the spandrels between; fifth opening from the left has been enlarged to form a large rectangular doorway containing a steel shutter, with steel girder over. End bay to right has ground floor opened up to form a rectangular entrance to the alleyway.
Within alleyway, wall to right is of vertical tongued and grooved boarding containing rectangular timber windows and a modern glazed hardwood door leading to a stairway. Wall to left within alleyway contains an open timber stairway at the left-hand extremity with a modern hoist shaft beside it; to right of that is brick walling containing rectangular timber sliding doors, all disfigured by PVC downpipes. Ceiling of alleyway is of modern chipboard panels fitted around exposed steel girders; set in ground surface just inside the entry is a large weighbridge in patterned cast iron, inscribed 'Avery, Birmingham, England'.
At the time of the first survey in 1986 the alleyway beyond to the west, and returning at the rear to the north and south was covered over with a glazed roof but all now dismantled and removed.

NORTH ELEVATION OF BLOCK TO SOUTH: North elevation of end of block to south, projecting forward from former engine house is two windows wide to each floor, windows glazed as previous, but ground floor partly obscured by a later low single storey addition in red brick without moulded plinth, with flat roof and two windows, glazed as previous.

Projecting from the low single storey addition is a short run of original iron railings on a low original plinth wall, with one curving ornamented cast iron stay; it is linked to a free-standing plain red brick substation which stands in front of the new engine house of 1908.

SOUTH ELEVATION OF BLOCK TO SOUTH: consists of two-storey extension along south side of original boiler house, with walling of smooth cement render, with the red brick end wall of the sheds to the west extending to the left. Roof of south extension is of Bangor blue slates in regular courses; moulded PVC gutter and downpipes; walls smooth cement rendered, lined and blocked, with a projecting rendered eaves course for most of the block, with a short rendered parapet to the right-hand end. Windows to first floor are rectangular timber fixed lights with transom and mullion, surmounted by top vents, set in segmental headed openings. The two windows to left-hand extremity are filled with glazed bricks; the next openings to the right are blind recesses in front of the octagonal chimney; which projects through the roof above; the third window opening from the right has been enlarged to form a rectangular doorway containing a pair of glazed timber doors.
Ground floor partly obscured by a central projecting lean-to block built of red brick, partly rendered, with corrugated asbestos roofing, flush timber doors, and blocked up window; PVC gutter. In wall above lean-to projection are 4 ocular ventilators; in wall to left of lean-to projection is a later steel stairway leading to a first floor doorway.
Main ground floor contains three large rectangular openings, the two to the right-hand end containing steel shutter doors, and the one to the left-hand end now without a door and lying open; it leads to a covered area between the tall octagonal chimney, the original boiler house and the sheds to the west; ceiling formed by brick jack arches; ground surface between chimney and boiler house is of stone slabs; ground surface between chimney and sheds to west is of screed leading on through an ornamented cast iron truss at rear of the covered area to an alleyway beyond running north between boiler house and sheds to west; alleyway formerly covered over at time of first survey in 1986 but now unroofed.

CHIMNEY: Tall octagonal chimney is of brickwork, with battered profile, standing on a battered and moulded sandstone plinth, now located inside the covered area with main shaft projecting up through the roof; full height meandering crack in south face of chimney; iron banding at intervals up chimney; brick corbel courses at top.

SOUTH ELEVATION OF BOILER HOUSE: Within the covered area the ground floor of the south wall of the boiler house is visible: painted brickwork with three windows bricked up; one new doorway containing modern steel plated door.

WEST ELEVATION OF BOILER HOUSE, facing into alleyway: three-storey, of red brick overprinted to ground floor; two courses of yellow brick corbels to top; moulded cast iron gutter, with cast iron and PVC downpipes. Windows are segmental arched however all but one to upper floors are boarded up and all on ground floor are walled up. Later corrugated iron projection attached at first floor level supported on steel stanchions.

NORTH ELEVATION OF BOILER HOUSE, facing main mill: three-storey, three windows wide, of similar walling to west side; windows blocked up as previous but central one on 2nd floor is original: timber sliding sash, vertically hung, 2 over 2 with horns. Moulded cast iron gutter with cast iron and PVC downpipes.

SHEDS AND STORES TO WEST: these consists of two main groups, a series of repetitive units with regular north-light roofs immediately to the west of the main mill block, and a group of conjoined blocks of various sizes standing to the west of the boiler house. East elevation: the former group have a modern façade to the east side, of new red brick with metal cladding above, rectangular openings containing steel roller doors and modern windows, with pitched roofs of Bangor blue slates and north lights; the latter group have walls of older red brick, and hipped roofs of corrugated asbestos; main feature contains an original semi-circular archway and a later rectangular opening; south elevation of the shed and store blocks is of plain red brick with later small rectangular windows created in larger partly bricked up openings; PVC rainwater goods.

SETTING: The mill stands within the built-up area of the city, occupying a corner site between two roads, but set back a distance from both roads. It stands end-on to the main road with its main east façade overlooking an access road and car parking areas to the east. The west façade overlooks an alleyway between it and lower sheds to the west. Main mill surrounded by tarmac areas. Standing detached to the east at the south end is a block of single-storey buildings of 20th century date, of red brick with north lights roofed in corrugated asbestos.
Poor quality detached sheds stand to the south of the boiler house block.
The site is entered by a modern steel railing and gateway from Crumlin Road, set between two original brick piers; piers are square, of red brick with projecting rendered string course and weathered rendered caps. Boundary to Crumlin Road formed on east side of gateway by original basalt rubble walling; and on west side of gateway by modern steel railings standing on a low cement rendered plinth and terminating at the west end in a now-shortened original blind semi-circular arcaded red brick wall containing ocular ventilators in alternate arches, with a battered profile to the base of the recessed panels; blocked up north-lighting projects up behind the wall. Boundary to Cambrai Street, to the west, formed by the red brick rear walling of the shed blocks, single-storey at the north end, partly semi-circular blind arcaded, and partly flush with regularly spaced ocular ventilators in yellow brick surrounds, and later small rectangular doorways created; rising to a 2-storey fenestrated block with hipped asbestos slated roofs and rectangular timber windows above segmental headed blocked up windows, and then stepping down to plain single storey height red brick walling containing a large later rectangular opening with roller steel door. South and east boundaries largely formed by fencing. Standing to the east immediately inside the main gateway is a 1½ storey gate lodge in red brick with half-hipped red tiled roofs, painted stone block dressings to the doorway which is surmounted by a small canopy on shaped timber brackets, but all windows now modern replacements not to original pattern.

Historical information

Built in 1865 as a weaving factory for the Edenderry Flax Spinning Company to the designs of the architect William Bare; contractors, McLaughlin & Harvey; clerk of works, Henry McConnell. It was described at the time as "the largest and most complete mill in Ulster".

The Edenderry Spinning Company was incorporated under the Companies Act 1862 on 1st December 1864; in 1865-6 its office address in the Belfast Directory was 11 Calendar Street with its representative's name given as Joseph Richardson; by 1868 the Belfast Directory gave its address as Crumlin Road; and by 1870 it listed John Beck as its managing director.

In 1867 the complex was described as consisting of "preparing sheds 214 ft. by 109 ft., terminating in large flax stores and hackling shops. A large spinning mill, 260 ft. by 52 ft., of five storeys high, boiler house for eight boilers, with extensive yarn drying lofts over, and chimney contiguous octagonal on plan, 18 ft. wide at base and 172 ft. high … A magnificent pair of beam engines of 160 (collected) nominal horse-power, one christened the Britannia and its fellow the Hibernia, work the whole establishment. They were built by Hick, of Bolton, and are considered the finest pair of engines in the town. An idea may be formed of their power by the fact of the driving wheel being 26 ft. in diameter."

The preparatory sheds stood to the west side of the main mill with the flax stores at the south end of them, level with the south end of the main mill. The boiler house still stands, detached, at the south end of the main mill, but absorbed by later extensions along the east side, and the octagonal chimney originally stood detached at the south end of the boiler house, but has now been absorbed by later extensions along the south side of the boiler house.

The extensions along the east side of the boiler house originally contained coal stores. The preparation sheds to the west appear to have been later refurbished, with steel trusses to the roofs, but the perimeter wall along the west side, facing Cambrai Street, and along part of the north side, facing Crumlin Road, appear to be part of the original complex.

The original engine house by Bare was located in the south-east corner of the main mill block; after it was superseded by the adjacent new engine house designed in 1908 by Browne Brothers, it became the dynamo room; it is identifiable as the portion lit by a large traceried window with a fluted Doric columned screen in the interior.

The core of the present lower block to the south of the mill, that is the original boiler house, is also Barre's work, as is the octagonal chimney, but the authorship of the extensions along the east side and the south side of that block is uncertain: they appear to have been added sometime between 1867 and 1872 and so could have been designed by Bare, or could have been by James Ewart who was involved in other extensions in 1869.

The OS map of 1872 shows that the main entrance gateway to the site was adjacent to the north-west corner of the main mill block, facing the open alleyway between it and the preparation sheds to the west: now closed up and original piers and gates removed. The present main entrance gateway, of modern construction, stands where there was an open roadway off Crumlin Road, called Mill Avenue; original boundary walling along former Mill Avenue now removed.

References – Primary Sources
1. The Dublin Builder, 15 June 1865, p 157.
2. The Irish Builder, 15 January 1867, p 21.
3. D. Dunlop, Life of W.J. Bare (Belfast, 1868), p 44.
4. Belfast and Province of Ulster Directory, 1865-66 (gives the company's address as 11 Calendar Street).
5. Belfast and Province of Ulster Directory, 1868 (first reference to the mill in the directories).
6. Belfast and Province of Ulster Directory, 1870 (gives John Beck as managing director).
7. OS Map 1872, Belfast 14 (shows the original smaller block to the south of the mill now absorbed in later enlargements and linked to mill by a covered passage).
8. Original drawings in Building Control Office, Belfast City Hall:
1869, by James Ewart, for a single storey addition to the north end of the preparation shed to the west.
1908, by Browne Brothers, for a new engine house on the east side of the mill.
1909, for a single storey addition to the north (now demolished).
1911, for toilets projecting from each floor of the mill on the east side.
1914, by Edwin Kennedy, for the gate lodge.
9. Old photographs in possession of owners in 2000.
10. OS Map 1858, Co Antrim 60 (shows the site as an empty field).
11. OS Map 1938, Co Antrim 60 (shows the full development).
Secondary Sources
1. W.A. McCutcheon, The Industrial Archaeology of Northern Ireland (HMSO, Belfast, 1980), plate 84(3).
2. P. Larmour, Belfast: An Illustrated Architectural Guide (Belfast, 1987), p 26.
3. J.A.K. Dean, The Gate Lodges of Ulster (Belfast, 1994), p 12.
4. IHR 10335.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed
Not listed

Evaluation

A large rectangular five-storey red brick building, formerly a linen mill, but now the nucleus of an industrial estate, with lower two and three-storey blocks and a tall octagonal chimney connected to the south end. This is a 19th century flax spinning mill of special interest as being originally the largest in Ulster, and having been designed by an important Irish architect. Although it has now lost a number of its original features, it remains a substantial and impressive example of Belfast's industrial heritage.

During the course of the listing process, the building had planning pemission consented - Z/2007/2626/F. Para 14.3 of the Criteria for the Scheduling of Historic Monuments and the Listing of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, with associated procedures applies - A building will not normally be considered for listing by the Department once planning permission which will affect its special architectural or historic interest has been granted and is still valid, or while works which have received such planning permission are under way.