top of page

THE MILL

The mill is a long vernacular structure almost crouched at the back of the courtyard, at first sight perhaps a little overwhelmed by the cottage and the imposing kilns as you approach down the tree lined driveway.
But what it lacks in presence, it possesses in character by the truckload!

The corn mill is, according to one newspaper publication, “the oldest mill in the county”. The provenance of this claim is unknown, but may be supported by the 1974 book dating the shelling gearing in its hursting (which could be from an earlier mill) to “well before the 18th century”.

It is a picturesque three-bay two-storey building with the millstone level accessed through a door at the front via a masonry causeway, which was used for manoeuvring millstones in and out when necessary and for lifting corn to the top floor for milling. This makes it quite unique as most other mills would have used a winch to haul grain to the top floor, or take advantage of different levels on site to create a split-level access. It is of rectangular plan form, with a square outshoot at rear (known as seed or fan house). This was used to collect husks from the grain during the shelling process. They would then be collected by the locals who could not afford another form of fuel. The roof used to be thatched, possibly with flax.

The water mill is unusual in that it has two water wheels - shelling wheel on the East gable and grinding wheel on the West gable) each serviced by a different water source. One mill race from the nearby loughs, the other is a branch of a small stream. The mill had priority water rights over both supplies, which join together by the shelling wheel.
The joint water supply was operating both wheels as necessary and there was a reservoir (mill pond) in the field just upstream, where the “fish pass” (overflow channel) starts. The vegetation in this area with typical wetland plants is also an obvious remnant of this.

 

We are looking to, in the long term, restore the mill into working order. It is intended for it to be returned to the community in some form, as a museum-type artefact, a testament to the rural lifestyle of the past. It would, we hope, offer a demonstration of the milling process and house information gathered by us on the site, it’s context and role in the Irish rural industry, as well as any social, real life connections to the people that lived and worked here. We are gathering memories, taking notes and making recordings, which we will include in the "experience", first here, though our website, but ultimately, when the site is safe to access, we would like to expand this to a physical experience, albeit in some limited capacity.

It is considered that when the structure is eventually re-roofed, the thatch might be faithfully reinstated, based on photographs that currently exist of the mill before the roof was replaced. The reinstated appearance would give the visitor a glimpse of what the mill may have looked like for all but the last 10 years of its operation, and re-address the site’s flax processing history, while offering another traditional skill training opportunity. It is noted that fire risk and risk mitigation measures will also need to be considered when making this decision.

If the necessary permissions and approvals are realistic, it will also be considered that a small amount of ground oats / wheat would be produced for human consumption, either to be used on site or supplied to local bakeries in a bid to diversify the local enterprises and expand the local food market with traditionally stone-ground heritage produce, which is not available anywhere else in the county.

But first things first, our priorities for up to spring 2023 are:

  • Vegetation clearance / management  ✓

  • Extensions to corrugated roof at eaves and barges where water is seeping into masonry - in progress

  • Improved propping or removal of first floor 

  • Emergency masonry works / propping (rear)  ✓

  • Shelling wheel removal and safe storage  ✓

Works done for 2023:

  • Fix front wall 

  • Repoint front wall 

  • Fix rear wall 

  • Fix rear corner between shelling gable and fan house 

Works anticipated in 2024:

  • Shelling hursting and built in machinery - in progress

  • Gable wall tap test and repoint as necessary

  • Mill race wall tree removal and rebuild

  • Repairs to wheel (budget permitting)

2021-05-06 18.01.44.jpg

Early 2021

 

Late​ 2022

 

Photo 23-10-2022, 14 44 58.jpg
2021-08-24 17.33.48.jpg

Rear fan house

 

The grinding wheel

 

IMG_9744.JPG
bottom of page