Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB16/23/018

Address :
Derrymore foundry Derrymore Road Derrymore Bessbrook Newry Co Armagh

Townland:
Derrymore

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Survey 2:
Record Only

Date of Listing:

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Factory

Former Use
Mill

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
Yes

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
Yes

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OS Map No:
266/1 NE

IG Ref:
J0542 2852

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Owner Category

Exterior Description And Setting

Ruinous and largely overgrown early 19th century former corn mill complex, with later 19th and early 20th century additons, partly used as a stone polishing factory in the late 1800s, converted to a foundry c.1900-10 and abandoned in 1976. The buildings are set within a well-wooded hollow to the NE of Derrymore Road, on the rural SE outskirts of the village of Bessbrook. The complex is approached along a sloping muddy track which opens off Derrymore Road. Due to the well-wooded nature of the area and the fact that many of the buildings are in the process of, or have collapsed, it is now difficult to discern the layout of the site. The complex is entered from a relatively narrow lane off the NW of the track with, largely 19th century, stone-constructed buildings arranged to the NE and SW of this, with a large grouping of, now almost entirely ruinous, sheds to the NW/N end. A distance away from all of this, to the SE side of the track, there is a tall chimney, but there do not appear to be any other significant structures within its immediate vicinity. The most prominent, and probably the most complete, building lies to the SW of the lane. This is the original corn mill of c.1810, a large five-storey, five windows wide, gabled building with a large two and a half-storey gabled return to the SW. The building is constructed in a semi-coursed mixture of rubble and roughly squared stone with dressed granite quoins and lintels, however the SW gable is clad in slate and large sections of all of the walls are now covered in ivy growth. The roof has completely collapsed, as have some of the very uppermost portions of the walls, whilst the (flat-arch) windows either possess the dilapidated remains of Georgian-paned timber sash frames, or have lost their frames altogether. The stonework indicates that the SW (two windows wide) portion of the former mill is an addition, but one, documentary sources suggest, which was added not long after the original section was completed. There is a further, early 20th century, two to single-storey lean-to addition to the SE side of the rear return; this section has largely collapsed, but its timber frame remains as does a small portion of its corrugated iron roof and most of its riveted sheet metal SW façade. To the NE side of the original building are the remains of further one and two-storey timber-framed lean-to additions, of similar vintage as that to the return. Both the original early 1800s portion and the early 1900s extensions have been largely gutted, with all floors to each of the sections having collapsed. The interior of the return appears to have been destroyed by fire. Just to the SW of the return is a small single-storey freestanding building with rubble stone walls, built some time between 1836 and 1862 and latterly used as a forge. The (originally) mono-pitched roof of this building has collapsed. A few metres to the NW of the original five-storey building is a large rectangular-plan two-storey eight windows wide structure, with walls of rubble stone with brick dressings to the openings. Some of the uppermost portions of the walls have fallen away and the openings are devoid of window frames or doors. The roof appears to have been curved and was presumably of the ‘Belfast Truss’ type, however it has entirely collapsed, as has the upper floor. Sources indicate that this building was erected on the site of an earlier one in c.1880, possibly solely for the purpose of granite polishing. It was later converted for use as the foundry proper. To the NE side of the lane, (NE of the original building), is a relatively small two and a half-storey split level structure with rubble stone walls now largely smothered in ivy. To the NE and NW sides of this there are the remains of small single-storey lean-tos. The roof of the main section has completely collapsed, as has the floor. Sources suggest this building was commenced from some time between 1836 and 1862, but was raised in height at some point after this. It was latterly used as a house and an office. To the NW/N of the lane there are remains a large collection of single storey timber-framed open-sided sheds of various sizes. Most of these have either collapsed completely or are in the advanced stages of collapse. Sections of corrugated iron clad roofing can still be discerned however, albeit not in their original position. Most of these sheds date from early decades of the 20th century, when the complex was converted to a foundry. Some metres to the SE of the track off Derrymore Road, is a relatively tall tapering chimney, now completely covered in ivy. This was added to the complex some time between 1836 and 1862 when the originally water-driven mill was converted either in part or in whole to steam power. The whole site still possesses much in terms of machinery, including cranes, a gantry, remains of engines and large grinding stones. Many of these appear to be located in their original position though various odd components are scattered all over the site. Much of this machinery is in a state of decay.

Architects

Not Known

Historical Information

The following is a slightly abridged history of the Derrymore mill / foundry compiled by Dr Fred Hammond in 1991. Historical development A water-powered cornmill is depicted at this location on the 1834-35 OS 6 inch map. At that time the present Derrymore Road, immediately south-west of the complex, did not exist and the mill was in the grounds of Derrymore House. The first valuation book of 1836 notes its owner as one Isaac Smith. The complex, valued at £52, comprised a mill (measuring 70ft x 34½ft x 43ft), two kilns (23 x 36 x 28ft and 23 x 7½ x 9ft), and a miller’s dwelling (60 x 13 x 7½ft). The valuation ‘quality letter’ indicates that the mill was some 20-25 years old; with the exception of the thatched miller’s house, all the buildings were slated. The mill contained four pairs of millstones (one for shelling, three for grinding), described as ‘three years in use’ and having ‘constant work’. Unfortunately there are no details of the waterwheel. The 1861 OS map shows additional buildings to the north and east of the original mill building, all of which are captioned ‘Derrymore Mill’. Interestingly a chimney is also depicted, indicating the presence of a steam engine. The second valuation book of 1862 notes the site’s owner as Robert Glenny. Additions include an engine house (22½ x 12ft), store 45 x 42ft) and office (15 x 12ft), all one storey high. The mill then contained four stones (all of French Burr ‘as it is Indian corn [maize] that is ground here’), three elevators and a sifter. Large-scale maps of 1895 and 1906 show a site of basically the same configuration as the 1861 map. There is some confusion regarding the site’s 20th century development. The valuation revision book of 1909 cites Charles Bradband & Company as being the tenants. Besides corn milling, they also engaged in stone polishing, an activity which seems to have been on-going since the 1880s if not before. In 1910, the valuation book notes Thomas and Samuel Bailey [sic] as having taken over the site; in 1912 Thomas is replaced by Edward Bailey, and he in turn by John Bailey shortly thereafter. During the 1910s, the site’s function changes completely from corn milling and stone polishing to foundry and engineering work. It is possible, however, that the valuation revision book is inaccurate as records in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) show Bailey and Sons to have commenced foundry work in 1901. In 1976 the foundry’s present owner was forced to pay off his workers on account of the buildings’ poor state of repair. He continued on his own account for a short time afterwards. Foundry output During its working life, the foundry engaged in a wide variety of activity. Mill wrighting was an important component of its work, with the casting of waterwheels, shafts, bearings, spur and bevel gears. One such waterwheel has been recorded at Bavan [?Cavan]. Turbines were also cast, although few can now be traced. Many other items were also cast: agricultural machinery, valves, railings, grates, stoves, ranges, and even ship propellers for the Newry-based Fisher Line. In cases where an item was cast repetitively, metal, rather than wooden, patterns were used. The foundry also carried out general metal working such as cutting, turning and drilling. Large wooden rollers (wiper and beetling beams) for beetling mills were also made. Summary Documentary evidence indicates the complex originated in the first decades of the 1800s. The mill’s large dimensions and relatively high valuation show it to have been a substantial enterprise, almost certainly set up to grind wheat into flour (as opposed to oats into oatmeal), in common with other such mills in the region. The later 19th century stone polishing is an interesting departure.* During the earlier 20th century, the site was redeveloped as a foundry and engineering works, continuing as such until the 1970s. *At the time of writing (1991), Dr Hammond was ‘unaware of any other water-powered mills in the Province where such activity [stone polishing] took place’. References 1 PRONI OS6/2/26/1 OS map, Co Armagh, sheet 26, 1834-35 2 PRONI VAL1B/246A First valuation, Killevy, 1836 3 PRONI OS6/2/26/2 OS map, Co Armagh, sheet 26, 1861 4 PRONI VAL2B/2/39A Second valuation, Killevy, 1862 5 PRONI VAL12B/15/1J Annual valuation revision books, Killevy etc., 1866-1908 6 Basset, G.H., ‘The Book of County Armagh’ (Dublin, 1888), p.239 7 PRONI OS8/31/2 OS map, 1895 8 PRONI OS10/2/26/6/1 OS map, 1906 9 PRONI D.3638 Records relating to Baillie and Sons Foundry, 1901-60 Secondary sources 1 Coe, W.E., ‘The Engineering History of the North of Ireland’ (Newton Abbot: David & Charles, 1969), p.34 2 Information supplied by Mr Edward Baillie (in 1991) 3 Report by Dr Fred Hammond entitled ‘Derrymore Foundry, Co Armagh’ (prepared for the National Trust, 1991)

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

Not listed

Historic Interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Ruinous and largely overgrown early 19th century former corn mill complex, with later 19th and early 20th century additions, partly used as a stone polishing factory in the late 1800s, converted to a foundry c.1900-10 and abandoned in 1976. The extant structures consist of the original large five-storey corn mill of c.1810, a large two-storey building of c.1880 (probably purpose-built for stone polishing), and a two and a half-storey house / office and a large chimney of c.1850- all constructed in stone but presently gutted and roofless. The scale of this site is impressive, the tall former mill building on a par with its near contemporary at Ballydugan Co. Down, moreover the complex’s change of use from corn mill to foundry, unusual (and possibly unique) in a rural location, is of some historical interest. In architectural terms however, only the mill is of merit, and it is now a roofless shell.

General Comments

Date of Survey

16 February 2004