Snowdon Mill and Ty'r Felin

Cadw's description

Location

At the NE end of Snowdon Street, immediately SW of the Tidal Gate.

History

Originally known as Portmadoc Flour Mills and built in 1862 (date on building) as a steam-powered roller mill. It is shown on the 1871 Tremadog estate plan and 1885 plan of Porthmadog Harbour as a single range, but by the 1888 Ordnance Survey a range had been added to the W side, which was originally detached but was joined by an added link by the time of the 1900 Ordnance Survey. It was converted to other uses in the C20.

Exterior

A large former mill comprising 2 parallel ranges on a sloping site. The original, front range, facing Snowdon Street, is of slate-stone rubble in large blocks and laid in rough courses, under a slate roof. The 3-storey SE front has windows grouped 3+4. On the L side the middle-storey windows are partly obscured by an added pebble-dashed lean-to, which has a lower weatherboarded lean-to on its R side. Windows are all replacement small-pane and single-pane windows in original openings, of which the 3 L-hand windows are smaller. Between 2nd and 3rd storeys is a repainted stone tablet inscribed 'RG BR AD 1862'. At the L (SW) end is a slightly lower 3-storeyed 2-window house (Ty'r Felin) of pebble-dashed walls, slate roof and stack to the L, and replacement windows and entrance on its R side.

The NE gable end of the mill, where the ground level is lower, has an abutting wall of a former lower lean-to engine house at basement level, and a small-pane attic window. The rear of the front range and house have replacement windows, and the mill has a boarded door at 3rd-storey level. A short rear wing, part of the original link between the 2 ranges, has higher eaves and lower ridge, a half-hipped roof, replacement windows and lean-to against the lower storey. A narrow weatherboarded link is between wing and the rear mill range. On the NE side is a C20 flat-roofed link of cement render projecting in front of the gable end of the front range.

The 4-storey rear range is slightly higher than the front range and its ground storey is at a lower level. Its SW gabled front is rendered and painted and has a replacement door and enlarged flanking windows in the lower storey. Above are 3 superimposed boarded doors under shouldered heads, and the bracketed and gabled wooden frame of a former hoist, flanked by 2-light casement windows in each storey in original openings. The 6-window L (NW) side is cement rendered, except for the rubble-stone basement. It has replacement windows, in a larger openings lower R and a blocked doorway immediately to its L. The 3-window rear (NE) gable end has exposed slate-stone rubble laid in rough courses, a replacement door in the basement flanked by windows, of which the R-hand is blocked. Above are 2-light windows replaced in original openings.

Interior

Floors are carried on cast iron posts by J.H. Williams of Porthmadog, and retain trap doors.

Reason for designation

Listed for its industrial archaeological interest as a rare surviving mid C19 steam-powered flour mill retaining definite regional and industrial character.