Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB19/01/050

Address :
Glenavy Mill Glenavy Crumlin Co. Antrim BT29

Townland:
Glenavy

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Survey 2:
B2

Date of Listing:
17/01/2001 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Factory

Former Use
Mill

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
Yes

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
145-02

IG Ref:
J1450 7300

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Owner Category

Private

Exterior Description And Setting

This complex comprises a former late 19th C. mill owners house and 18th C. annex, and a corn mill, grain drying kiln, associated outbuildings and remains of a mill pond, head and tail races, all of 18th C. date. There were formerly a number of related buildings along the north side of the present complex, but these have all been demolished to make way for a recent housing development. It is located at the NE end of the village, on the E side of the road. 1. Mill house, annex and yard outbuilding A later 19th C. symmetrical two storey/ three bay polychrome house with full height canted bays to either side. It is aligned N-S at the SW corner of the complex. There is an earlier one and a half storey annex behind it and a small yard outbuilding to the SE. The main house has a pitched natural slate roof with hipped cants to the two bays. Two stage yellow brick chimney with moulded copings and dentil course to each gable. Cast iron ogee rainwater goods to front are supported on a corbelled yellow brick eaves course over a brick dentil course. Half round gutters to rear are supported on advanced rendered eaves course. Principal façade is unrendered machined red brick (English Garden wall bond) with stepped yellow brick quoins and similar dressings to openings. Canted bays are yellow brick with red brick panels to each cant between ground and first floor. A chamfered yellow brick base course runs around the house. There is a continuous painted concrete cill course at first floor level. The remainder of the main block, as well as its return and annex have lined and rendered brick walls. All windows are one over one sliding sashes with horns, unless otherwise stated. Pricipal elevation faces west. To centre is the entrance door accessed by a broad tiled step and set within a segmental-headed moulded brick reveal. The door has four raised and bolection moulded panels, with beaded muntin to centre; the top pair of panels are semi-circular headed and have a cast iron door knocker set in between. Set between top and bottom panels is a large brass door pull. Segmental-headed transome over door. Directly above, at first floor, is a segmental-headed window set in a moulded reveal. To left and right of entrance bay are the canted bays. Each of their three principal cheeks has a window to each floor, all set in a moulded brick stop end chamfered reveals. Thoses to ground floor of each bay share a continuous painted concrete cill. Each central window is wider than its flankers and those to the frist floor are slightly diminished in height. Left gable has two windows - one to extreme left at ground floor and one set slightly to its right at first floor. Right gable is similar, but its windows are in line with each other and set to the right hand side. Rear elevation is abutted to left and middle by a one and a half storey return with a catslide roof; this was erected at the same time as the main block and is not a later edition. The left hand section of this return projects beyond its right hand section; they contain the bathroom/toilet and stairwell respectively. The right hand section of the main block is abutted by the gable of a one and a half storey T plan annex (described below). The left cheek of the projecting section of this return has a timber door with glazed top panel to left and a top hung 1/1 timber casement window to its right. Its front face is abutted by the tail of the aforementioned annex. Its right cheek is abutted by a modern flat-roofed one storey link block, which also abuts the front face of the right hand section of the return. The upper floor of this cheek has a top hung 1/1 timber window at left. The right hand section of the return has, to front, a margin paned 2/2 sliding sash to its upper floor (lighting the stairwell). The T plan annex is aligned E-W. This was the original mill house. Its right side is flush with the gable of the main block and its tail projects S, parallel with the axis of the main house. The main section measures 14.5m E-W by 5.92m N-S. The tail measures 6.55m N-S by 4.47m E-W. It has a pitched natural slate roof with 3 rendered brick chimneys - one to each gable and a taller one to the S gable of its tail. Rainwater goods are half round, over a slightly advanced eaves course. The N elevation has five openings. All are timber top hung casement windows with concrete cills (all remaining windows are as this unless otherwise stated). Its E gable has a windows set to right of centre on apex. S face is abutted to extreme left by the house return and a link block, and to left of centre by the tail section of the annex. The exposed section to the right of this tail has a window at left and a large two pane (vertically divided) window at right. The E facing elevation of the tail has a large side hung timber casement window to left and a timber entrance door (with glazed upper panel) to right. S gable of tail is blank. The W face of the tail is abutted by the house return and the link block. In SE corner of the rear yard is a small one storey/ single bay outhouse aligned E-W. It measures 5.74m E-W by 3.99m N-S. It has a pitched natural slate roof. No rainwater goods. There is a machined red brick chimney to its E gable. Walls are random rubble, unrendered to the S face, lined cement rendered to W gable and wet dashed to remaining elevations. Advanced brick eaves. W gable has doorway, N and E elevations are blank. S elevation has 2 infilled windows. A low random rubble wall connects the SW corner of this building to the SE corner of the house annex tail. Setting: Between front of house and public road is a large tree lined lawn, with driveway along N side from road. This drive continues along N side of annex to outbuildings and mill at rear. To SE of yard is a large grassed area. 2. Outbuilding 1 A two storey/ two bay building to the N of the house. It is aligned E-W and measures 18.54m E-W by 6.27m N-S; it stands 4.09m high at SE, 4.57m at SW. Pitched natural slate roof. Wet dashed random rubble walls (rounded field stones) and advanced brick eaves. Plastic gutters. Main elevation faces S to access lane and is slighly bowed in plan. Left bay has a central T&G sheeted door with small flanking windows; that to left is 6/6 sliding sash, that to right has a 2/2 metal frame. Right bay has a central two leaf T&G door with timber lintol and also flanked by small window openings. That to left is shuttered, as is that to the right ( but the froma has fallen in). Left W gable has a louvred and glazed window opening set at centre of first floor. Rear N elevation is exposed to first floor only due to bank slope. It has a 3 x 3 fixed window to left bay (this was formerly a doorway) and a two leaf T&G door to right bay. Right gable is accessed through a semi-circular headed opening from front yard. It has a door at left and a shuttered opening with metal bars at right. To the first floor centre is a tall narrow loading door. 3. Outbuilding 3 A two storey/ three bay (to ground floor) building aligned N-S immediately E of building 2. It measures 13.77m N-S by 6.02m E-W and stands 4.57m high at SE and 4.88m at SW. Pitched natural slate roof. Plastic gutters. Wet dashed random rubble walls (rounded field stones) and advanced brick eaves. All openings have brick trim unless otherwise stated. Principal elevation faces E. Ground floor has a pair of large modern metal doors at left end. It has concrete block jambs and a reinforced concrete haed. It is uncertain if this is a modern insertion or an enlargement of an existing opening. To right of this opening is a boarded up window opening. The ground slopes up to right end of façade. First floor is four openings wide: from left is a 2 x 2 fixed window, a 1 x 3 fixed window, a segmental headed loading door (boarded over), an infilled window opening with shallow segmental head. There is evidence that there was a pitched roof porch to the loading door. This formerly connected with a similar doorway on building 4. S gable has a window opening to first floor centre. Rear W elevation has two door openings - one to left bay and one to middle bay; both have masonary jambs (not brick). A projecting masonary string course runs just below the present wall head across the left and middle bays; this may be a former wall head, with a subsequent raising. At first floor right there is a loading door with machined red brick jambs. To either side of this opening is a small window opening. Right gable is exposed to first floor only. It has a door opening to the left end. 4. Former grain drying kiln A two storey/two bay building aligned E-W and situated east of building 3. It measures 14.5m E-W by 8.59m N-S and stands 2.69m high at SE and 3.81m at SW. Pitched natural slate roof. Half round rain gutters missing. All walls are unrendered random rubble but retain traces of former lime render; advanced stne eaves. All openings are trimmed in brick. W gable is wet dashed cement. Principal elevation faces S to yard. Ground floor has a modern roller shutter door at left end of right hand bay and a small window opening to its right. The left bay has an infilled window opening, but no other opeings are now apparent. At right hand end of first floor is a 3 x 2 pane window. Left W gable has a semi circular headed window at first floor left (now infilled), with the evidence of a former porch to front (formerly with a link to building 3). On the gable apex is an infilled window opening to centre. Rear N elevation is exposed to first floor only. It has two door openings, both set back from the wall line. That to left is a T&G sheeted door set in an opening with cement render jambs. It is accessed by three concrete steps and platform to front. To right is a pair of T&G sheeted doors. The right jamb of this opening is of concrete blocks, indicating a widening of the original opening. Right gable has a metal framed window to apex. 5. Cornmill A three storey (including basement but excluding attic)/ single bay mill aligned E-W at the SE end of the complex. It measures 19.89m by 6.86m. Pitched natural slate roof. No rainwater goods. Random rubble walls and advanced stone eaves. Walls are unrendered to E and S elevations and wet cement dashed to W and N; probably lime rendered originally. Yard facing N elevation is almost completely abutted to ground floor by a single storey/ three bay return. The exposed leftend of the main block has a large pair of timber doors to GF and a loading door to FF (now sheeted over). To its right, along the FF of the main block are four regularly spaced 3/6 sliding sash windows, all with concrete cills. The reurn which abuts the GF measures 16.0m by 2.62m in plan. It has a monopitched slate roof and walls as the main block; brick quoins are also eveident underneath the wet dash. Its left and right cheeks are blank. Its N face has a 3/6 sash window to left bay, another to middle bay, and two contiguous semi-elliptical entrance arches to right bay. Both the windows have concrete cills. Left E gable of main block has a cill - less 3/6 sash to apex. Rear S elevation has a skylight to roof pitch. Two waterwheels occupy the left hand half of the basement. Ground floor has four window openings; from left these are a 3/6 sliding sash, a 6/4 sliding sash, a boarded opening, and a 2/2 side hung metal casement. At extreme right is a stone infilled window opening from which rises a shallow brick pilaster (of unknown function) to eaves level. First floor has five equally spaced windows; all are boarded up with the exception of the two at the left; the first is a 3/6 sash and the other a 6/4 sash. The right gable has an exposed basement level. It is abutted at right end by a single storey seed house. Exposed section has to external ground level, a T&G sheeted door with large timber lintol. To its immediate right, and sharing its head, is a 3 x 3 pane window. The GF and FF are blank. Window opening to apex. The seed house has been 'refurbished' in the relatively recent past. Its dimensions are 3.35m E-W by 3.5lm N-S; it stands 2.74m: at its SW comer. It has a pitched natural slate roof. No rainwater goods. Walls are of unrendered random rubble with advanced brick eaves. Its W gable has a modern partly-glazed timber door to centre and a modern 2 x 3 pane window (with concrete cill) to apex. The apex is of concrete blocks; the roof may have been hipped originally. Left cheek has a modern 3 x 2 pane window (with concrete cill). Right cheek is blank. A random rubble wall runs from the SW corner of the seed house to the SE corner of the yard outbuilding described in section I. An opening gives out on to a small modern footbridge over the tailrace. 6. Waterwheel and waterworks Unusually, the corn mill has two waterwheels, both on the S-facing elevation. Both are pitchback (ie fed from the 1 o'clock position and rotating anti-clockwise when viewed from S). Looking towards the mill, the left wheel measures 4.57m in diameter by 1.25m wide. Its circular axle, hubs and 30cm deep (12in) rim are all of cast-iron. Its two sets of eight arms, 40 angled buckets and soleing are of timber. The metal components are sound, but the timber is in very poor condition. The wheel's rotative power was transmitted through the axle. The right-hand wheel is set out from the sidewall of the mill. It measures 4.72min diameter by 1.25m wide. Its circular axle, hubs and 34cm deep (13.5in) rim are all of cast-iron. Each of the eight rim segments carries its maker's name, "Kane Bros Ballymena". The wheel's 2 x 8 arms, 40 angled buckets and soleing are all of timber. As before, the metalwork is sound but timber has rotted. The power was transmitted into the mill through an iron segmental spurwheel affixed to the imner arms. This drove a small iron pinnion (bull nut) at the 3 o'clock position, from which a shaft gives into the basement of the mill. Both wheels are fed from a launder running in from the east. The first half of this trough has concrete blockwork side walls and a cast concrete floor resting on two concrete piers. The remainder of the trough, as far as the right-hand wheel, is of timber and rests on a rubble stone wall at one end, and a cantilevered metal beam at the other. Its cross-sectional width is 94cm (37in). The water was directed into the first wheel by a flap in the floor of the trough. This was activated by means of a shaft and connecting link from inside the mill. This orifice has been infilled with concrete, presumably so that all the water could be used by the second wheel in later years. The trough continues on and then makes a dogleg towards the second wheel. This section of troughing is now missing. Immediately east of the complex of buildings is a small millpond, now infilled and gravelled over to create a hardstand. Two concrete pipes under the main road on its eastern boundary are still open. A random rubble wall runs around its northern side and southern sides but has been removed to NW corner and W side. At its SW corner, just before the intake to the launder, is an inclined pitched rubble spillway. At the bottom of the spillway is an underground pipe which returns the water to the adjoining stream. The tailraces to each wheel merge into a single channel which returns the spend water to the stream.

Architects

Historical Information

No mill shown in this townland on a large-scale 1729 map of the Hertford Estate. It is probable that the 1772 datestone signifies the erection of a mill in this year by one D.G. A mill certainly existed in 1766 hereabouts, as noted in the following two Belfast News Letter entries: "This is to give notice that any farmers and others who may have wheat or barley to dispose of may, without loss of time or expense sell the same at the flour mills near Glenavy where a person will always attend to pay them on delivery. NB Mondays and Thursday. flour, bran, French barley and peelygrass will be sold at said mills and no other days. The least quantity of first or second flour is two stone, and of third one stone, that will be sold or weighted to any person. The same flour, French barley and peelygrass is to be sold at Mr Robert Sym's, merchant in Belfast, where they may depend on getting each {...] fresh and good and free from any mixture. 28 October 1766" (25/11/1766). The second entry is similar to the above with the following addition: "To be sold at the above flour mills, coarse wheatmeal or pollard @ 5/- per cwt; flour bran @ 2/- per cwt; coarse ditto @ 2/- per barrel large measure; first, second and third flour 6d per cwt cheaper than at market. 20 December 1766" (30/12/1766). A third entry, of October 1774 in the same newspaper notes: "Glenavy Mills to be let from the first of November next during the term of one life. Said mills pays Lord Hertford £43 chief-rent yearly; there is a large tract of good corn country bound to them, which pays the sixteenth part toll; their present repair is sufficient for several years. Proposals will be received by James Sloane at Pigeontown, near Glenavy. October 6th 1774" (11/10/1774) The significance of the 1800 datestone is, as yet, unclear. It may signify the acquistion of the mill by Andrew Lorimer (see below). The complex is shown on the 1832-33 OS 6" map along with an explicitly captioned mill race and mill dam half a mile to the east. There is also a smaller, uncaptioned dam just above one of the mill buildings. The complex is shown in slightly more detail on the large scale Valuation map of c.1834. It is described in the 1836 Ordnance Survey Memoir (Glenavy Parish) as a corn mill, the machinery of which "is propelled by a breastwater wheel 14ft in diameter and two feet broad". The 1835 Valuation book notes the premises as belonging to Andrew Larmour and comprising a house, offices and corn mill, all valued at £25.11 s.Od. This was the second highest valuation in Glenavy townland, after John Howe's cotton and flax mills at the south end of the village (£27.10s.0d). The corn mill is noted as having two pairs of stones - one for grinding and the other for shelling. Seemingly there was a third pair for wheat and also a bolting cloth (for sieving the wholemeal). For valuation purposes the mill was considered to work for eight months year at 12 hours per day. The dimensions (in feet) of Mr Larmour's buildings, all but two of which were thatched (= t; s = slated), are given in the Valuation book as follows: 1. House (t) 69 x 17 x 7.5 2. Return (t) 20.5 x 11 x 5 3 Office (t) 60 x 20.5 x 12.5 4. Kiln (t) 21 S x 20 x 7 5. Store room (t) 22.5 x 20 x 9 6. Shed to stores (s) 20 x 7 x 8 7. Kiln (t) 47 x 28 x 11 8. Potato house and stable (t) 57 x 21.5 x 7 9. Turf house (t) 55 x 20.5 x 7 10. Corn mill (t) 45 x 21.5 x 14.5 11. Workshop to ditto (t) 20.5 x i9.5 x 7 12. Porch (s) 11 x 11.5 x 8 Although today's buildings all have similar footprints to those on the 1834 map, comparison of their dimensions with those in the Valuation suggest that only three of the present once existed at that time - today's building 2 equates with the 'office' (no.3 above is a general purpose term for outbuildings), and building 4 with the kiln (no.7), and the seed house with the 'porch' (no.12) to the corn mill. Whilst the corn mill's depths broadly correspond (21ft 6in in the Valuation, 22ft 6in on the ground), their length and height do not. Although it is possible that the present mill incorporates an earlier, smaller mill, there is no visible structural evidence for this in the form of wall breaks and internal party walls. The balance of the evidence therefore suggests that the 1772 and 1800 datestones are not in situ, but have been salvaged from buildings now gone when the present mill was erected. The 1858 OS map shows a similar configuration of buildings as the 1833 map and the complex is now captioned 'corn mill & kiln'. There is a second pond immediately east of the buildings, just north of the earlier one. This suggests that two mills might now be in action. The 1859 second Valuation book notes the complex as now belonging to John Lorimer (probably the same family as before with a different spelling); this date and name are also given on the 1859 datestone The site was leased from the Marquis of Hertford and comprised a house, offices, corn mills and kilns, all valued at £70. The buildings are detailed as follows (again t = thatched, s slated; all length breadth dimensions have been converted from yards to feet): 1. House (t) 72 x 21 x I storey 2. House (s) 21 x 15 x I storey 3. No.l mill (s) 66 x 21 x 3 storeys 4. Seed house (s) 24 x 12 x I storey 5. No.2 mill (s) 51 x 24 x 2 storeys 6. Basement 21 x 24 x I storey 7. Office (s) 81 x 21 x 2 storeys 8. No 1&2 kiln (t) 45 x 27 x 2 storeys 9. Office (s) 30 x 9 x I storey 10. Office (s) 24 x 21 x 2 storey 11. Office (t) 24 x 21 x 2 storeys 12. Stables (0 60 x 21 x 2 storeys It is evident that there are now two mills, both for grinding grain. The Valuation notes that no. l mill had two waterwheels. One wheel was 14ft in diameter by 3ft 9in wide and had 14in deep buckets. This drove two pairs of grinding stones, one of which was occasionally used for wheat (oats being the norm). The second wheel measured 12ft by 3ft and had 12in buckets; it powered a pair of shelling stones and also fans, sifters and two sets of elevators. The width of the supply launder (water trough) to the two wheels is given as 3ft 6in and the depth of water therein as 2ft. The fall of water is given as 18ft so evidently both wheels were overshot or pitchback. This mill worked for a notional six months at 22 hours per day, and for six months at 11 hours per day - this suggests that there was plenty work throughout the year. The machinery is given as 'class A' indicating that it was fairly up to date and in good condition. Comparison of the dimensions of no.l mill with those of today's mill shows a close correspondence. One can therefore conclude that it was erected sometime between 1835 (the first valuation) and 1859 (second Valuation). The datestone almost certainly signifies its erection by John Lorimer in 1859. However, both the present waterwheels are larger than those cited in the Valuation, indicating they were replaced at a later date. The style of the power transmission gearing (lineshaft configuration, as opposed to great spurwheel) also suggests a later replacement as well. No.2 mill had only one waterwheel, 16ft by 4ft, with 12in deep buckets. The fall of water is also given as 18ft, so it could have also been overshot or pitchback. It contained a pair of shelling and a pair of grinding stones, as well as sifters and elevators. Its notional working was six months at 20 hours per day, and six months at 10 hours per day. Its machinery was also class 'A'. This mill, which is probably the same one cited in the 1835 Valuation, no longer exists. The active dimensions relating to the house correspond with what is now the annex - however it seems to have subsequently been truncated from 72ft to its present 47ft 7in. The present tail to this annex also existed at that time. The stables correspond with today's building 2 and no 1& 2 kiln with building 4. It is also a possibility that the two offices (24 x 21 and 24 x 21 =48 x 21) correspond today's building 3. In short, with the exception of the seed house, yard outbuilding and brick dwelling at west, all today's buildings existed by 1859. Moreover, there are a number of buildings, all shown on the map, which have disappeared. From 1869 onwards, when the Valuation revision books start, the ratable value of the property remains constant at £66. James Lorimer takes over from John in 1893, followed by Archibald Lorimer in 1902. The Lorimers appear to have relinquished control in 1921, the year in which Edward T. Green takes over. This is presumably the same ET Green who owned extensive dockside mills in Belfast at that time (and father of Rodney Green who wrote The Industrial Archeology of Co Down). It may have been Green who refurbished the mill in the early 1900s - the cement cills and cement render are all reminiscent of this inter-war period. David McCullough takes over in 1924 and held the premises until at least 1929 (when this run of valuation books stop). The 1:1056 OS map of 1901 captions the site as 'corn & beetling mills'. This change of function is not recorded in the Valuation revision books, so it is uncertain when it happened. In all probability, beetling was carried out in the corn mill which is now gone. The 1901 map also shows the polychromatic house at the west end of the original house. Precisely when this happened is uncertain (there is no change in the site's ratable valuation). The nearby Protestant Hall is built in a similar style of brickwork and is dated to 1870. All one can say is that the west section of the house is probably late 19th century in date. The premises are now vacant, and have recently been bought by a building contractor. Primary sources: 1. 1729 Hertford Estate map - Part of Francis Lord Conway's estate by I.S., 1729 (PRONI, D 427/3A). 2. 1772 datestone. 3. Belfast News Letter, 25 Nov 1766, p.4 (PRONI, MIC 19/15). 4.BelfastNewsLetter, 30Dec 1766,p.2(PRONI, MIC 19/15). 5. Belfast News Letter, 7- 11 Oct 1774, p.3 (PRONI, MIC 19/23). 6. 1800 datestone. 7. First edition OS map, 1832-33, Co Antrim sheet 59 (PRONI, OS 6/1/59/1). 8. Valuation map, c.1834 (PRONI, VAL ID/1/3) 9. Ordnance Survey Memoir, Glenavy Parish, 1836 10. 1835 Valuation book (PRONI, VAL IB/171, p.108) 11. Second edition OS map, 1858, Co Antrim sheet 59 (PRONI, OS 6/1/59/2). 12. 1859 Valuation book (PRONI, VAL 2B/1/58A, p.67) 13. 1859 Datestone. 14. Valuation revision books, 1869-1929 (PRONI, VAL 12B/8/4A-D). 15. OS 1:1056 map, 1901 (PRONI, OS 8/104/1).

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style C. Ornamentation E. Spatial Organisation H-. Alterations detracting from building H+. Alterations enhancing the building

Historic Interest

Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance X. Local Interest

Evaluation

This complex is a good example of a medium-sized rural enterprise which has existed here for almost 230 years. Part of the existing house and two of the outbuildings may well be of 18th century date. Of particular interest is the substantial mid-l9th century corn mill, seemingly refurbished in the earlier 20th century. Excepting spade mills, it is the only Irish example known to the author which has two waterwheels into the same building. A surprising amount of the internal machinery still survives. The configuration of the power transmission gearing reflects the technical evolution from the traditional great-spurwheel arrangement (as seen at most mills e.g. Annalong), to a lineshaft arrangement. The fact that one of the waterwheels has an attested local manufacturer (Kanes) is also of note. The two-storey/ two-bay dwelling at the west end of the site also reflects that success of this enterprise during the later 1800s.

General Comments

Date of Survey

02 June 2000