Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB16/29/010

Address :
Drumalane Mill Drumalane Road Newry Co Down BT35 8AL

Townland:
Lisdrumliska

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Survey 2:
B1

Date of Listing:
02/08/1993 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:
266/11 NW

IG Ref:
J0842 2545

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Owner Category

Commercial

Exterior Description And Setting

A granite multi-storey/ multi-bay flax spinning mill with ancillary buildings east of Drumalane Rd. Complex comprises: (1) flax spinning mill, (2) engine room, (3) boiler house, (4) preparing department, (5) office, (6) and (7) miscellaneous sheds and chimney. The functions noted in the detailed descriptions, which follow, are taken from a 1961 plan in the possession of the mill’s owners. 1. Flax spinning mill A four-and-a-half storey/ 15-bay building aligned east-west, with main façade to north. The roof is hipped with natural slates and continuous skylights to all pitches. A rendered brick lift shaft with flat concrete roof rises at the south end. Cast-iron ogee rainwater goods over projecting eaves course. The walls are of finely dressed and regularly coursed granite blocks, snecked and strap pointed, with projecting vee-jointed ashlar granite quoins. All the windows are of wood with granite cills, and also stepped jambs and shallow segmental heads of red brick. There are large sheeted double doors to the main façade at ground floor on the 1st and 15th bays (measured from left as viewed). The latter has a tripartite fanlight and leads to a stairwell. Both doors are set in semi-circular headed brick openings and have stepped brick jambs with rounded corners. There is also a smaller door at ground floor 9th bay, seemingly an insert into an existing window. There is a loading door at first floor 8th bay, again a more recent insert into a window opening. Most windows have 4/8 fenestration, with pivoted upper section. The ground floor windows to 2nd and 3rd bays have semicircular brick heads. A section of walling below each 4th bay window has been removed to enable access to toilets set into a metal framework externally affixed to the 3rd and 4th bays. The landings to these toilets, which have brick walls, are enclosed in embossed cast-iron panelling. These landings give access to a metal fire escape down the 3rd bay. A metal water tank surmounts the attic toilet block. The left gable is abutted by the engine room (building 2). The rear façade is similar to the main façade, but without the toilets and fire escape. Several new doors have been inserted into former window openings at ground floor. Some of the window heads on the right three bays (as viewed from the rear) have been renewed. The right gable is pierced by a pair of 2/4 windows at second floor, level with the apex of the roof of the abutting building. There is a smaller stairwell light between first floor – second floor and another between second floor – third floor. Projecting from the top of the wall is a metal cantilevered hoisting beam. 2. Engine room This one-roomed building abuts the left (east) gable of the spinning mill and extends upward one-and-a-half floors. It has a monopitch natural slate roof and half-round metal rainwater goods. A narrow corrugated metal lean-to rises from the roof up the gable of the mill. This formerly enclosed the rope drives to the upper floors of the mill. The façade of the engine room is of red brick, with a large double wooden door under a concrete lintel. Above is a recessed rectangular panel dressed with yellow brick. Its left wall (east facing) is of random rubble granite in which are three 2/6 top-pivoted timber windows; all have granite cills, and yellow brick stepped jambs and segmental heads. The rear wall is of similar construction to the east elevation and shares a stepped red brick quoin. A shallow red-brick slated lean-to with a 2/6 top-pivoted timber window (with concrete cill and head) abuts it on its south face. 3. Boiler house To the left of the mill is a three-storey/ single-bay building aligned north-south. It formerly contained steam boilers on its ground floor. The roof is pitched and sheeted with corrugated asbestos and has half-round asbestos rainwater goods. All the ground floor walls are of coursed random granite rubble and the upper floors of red brick; between the granite and brick is a yellow brick string course. All the windows have timber frames, yellow brick jambs and shallow segmental heads, and granite cills. The gable which faces north is abutted at ground floor by a more recent concrete block building with slated monopitch roof [this had been demolished on re-inspection on 19 Feb 1998]. The upper two floors have three windows to each, all of which are infilled except the middle openings: on first floor this contains a 4/2 window, and louvres on second floor. The left elevation, which runs along the present eastern boundary of the site, has, at ground floor, a door at left and four window openings to right. The left hand one of these windows has been infilled with concrete blocks, but the remaining three retain their timber 2/2/2 windows (the middle panel of which is pivoted). Its first floor has eight timber windows (3/3 hopper type). In line above, on the second floor, are eight louvred openings. The rear gable is abutted by another building at ground floor and first floor (building 6c). There are three openings at second floor: louvres to left, window to centre and infilled at right. The apex of this gable has been rebuilt or raised (from hipped form), presumably when the building was reroofed. That the building was reroofed is also evident in a course of newer brick along the eaves. There are five windows to the right elevation at ground floor: three are fixed four paned, one is a 1/1 top- hung replacement, and the fifth is obscured by building 6c. At first floor are eight 4/2 hopper windows and at second floor, eight louvred openings. 4. Preparing department/ Mechanics’ shop This two-storey red brick building is of L plan and abuts the right (west) gable of the mill. The portion in line with the mill, which was the preparing department, is five windows wide and abuts the mill at first floor over a ground floor vehicular arch (with stepped red-brick jambs and semicircular head) through to the rear of the mill; the right-angled return (mechanics’ shop) is seven windows wide. The roof is pitched with natural slate, with cylindrical ventilators along its apex and ogee cast-iron rainwater goods over projecting red brick eaves. The two walls which face into the yard are of coursed granite rubble on ground floor and finely dressed granite blocks in regular courses on first floor. There are three sets of double doors at ground floor, all trimmed with stepped red brick and each with a 10-paned transom light above. A metal stairway leads to a first floor door at inside corner of the return; this is a later insertion into a window opening. All the windows have 10/10/10 panes, timber frames, stepped red brick jambs and heads, and granite cills. Between the ground floor and first floor on the yard-facing wall of the return is a series of cast-iron ventilators. The north gable of the return is also of coursed granite rubble and has dressed granite quoins (that to yard corner is vee-jointed). A one-storey link block to the office (building 5) abuts it. A relatively modern cement-rendered shed abuts the west wall of the return from the 2nd window opening southwards; some of the original ground floor openings have been altered inside. The rear wall of building 4 is of random granite rubble throughout. It is partly abutted by a single-storey/ double-pile shed on the right side of the arch as one approaches from the front yard (building 7). There is a 10/10/10 paned window above the arch; there are identical windows along the first floor at west, all now infilled. 5. Office A one-and-a-half / three-bay building aligned north-south at the west side of the yard. It has a pitched natural slate roof, ashlar granite chimneys with projecting copings to each gable, and modern metal rainwater goods. The roof has been modified with the insertion of a 3-paned box dormer (with concrete cill) over the main entrance. The walls are of finely dressed granite blocks in snecked regular courses over a projecting chamfered base course and with vee-jointed ashlar quoins. Both the door and window openings have stepped red-brick jambs and shallow segmental heads; unless otherwise stated, all the window cills are of granite. The entrance is in the centre of the wall facing east into the main yard and contains a painted timber double door (each with two raised and fielded panels) with 3-paned transom over. On either side is a 3/6 sliding sash window. The north gable and rear (west) elevations are rendered in lined cement. The gable has a 3/6 and 2/4 sliding sash at ground floor and attic level respectively, the former with a metal security grille. The rear wall has two 3/6 windows (one sash, one fixed). The narrow gap between it and building 4 has been infilled with a link block. 6. Miscellaneous sheds and chimney Immediately south of, and parallel to, the main mill building is a long one-storey block incorporating three contiguous buildings; a tall chimney rises from the south-west corner of the east building. According to the 1961 plan, the west building (6a) was a bunching and dispatch room, the middle one (6b) a drying room, and the east building (6c) the preparing room. All have pitched corrugated asbestos cement roofs with half-round asbestos rainwater goods, and concrete heads and cills to the windows (all of which are of timber). 6a: The west block has three sets of 4/4 windows (top panel centrally pivoted) and two sets of sliding doors along its north façade, which is of concrete block construction. The west gable, which is blank, is partly of finely dressed granite blocks in regular courses, and partly of coursed random rubble. This suggests the incorporation of an earlier structure in the present building. The south wall, which is also of concrete block work, has a fixed 4/4 window on each side of a sliding door. At its right end is a small concrete block monopitched annex. 6b: The middle block, which is slightly higher than the west block, has brick north and south walls. Steel I-profile beams set vertically in the walls support a metal truss roof. The north facade has a sliding door at its east end, with a 6-pane window over; to its right are three timber 6/3 windows (bottom panel centrally pivoted). Its south wall has four 9-paned windows. 6c: The east block has concrete block walls. Its north wall, which abuts the south gable of building 3, has a large sliding door at east, with four sets of 4/4 windows (top panel centrally pivoted) to right. Its south wall has a door at right and five sets of 4/4 fixed windows to left. At the south-west corner of this block is a tapered octagonal red-brick chimney which rises to a corbelled top and is braced with metal ties. The freshness of the bricks at top suggests a heightening or rebuild. 7. Mixing room/ Breaker house A single-storey/ double-pile block aligned north-south and abutting the south wall of building 4. The walls are of coursed random granite rubble with dressed stepped granite quoins. Both single-bay blocks have pitched natural slate roofs with cylindrical ridge ventilators and ogee cast-iron gutters over projecting brick eaves; interestingly, there are finely-dressed ogee-moulded granite cornices at the corners (which support the gutters). All the openings have brick jambs and heads. The original door at the north end of the east wall of this block has been widened. This wall also has four window openings: two are infilled and two contain 10/10/10 top-pivoted timber windows. A small monopitched concrete block lean-to toilet block abuts the south gable of the east pile. There is a small window, probably a more recent insertion, to the left of this lean-to. The south gable of the east pile has two fixed 5x5 paned timber windows, above which is a brick- trimmed roundel. In the yard is a modern shed of no interest. According to the 1961 plan, there was also a gate house and tow store, but both have been demolished.

Architects

Mitchell, William

Historical Information

This mill first appears in the 1866 Valuation Revision book, being cited as vacant and belonging to Hill Irvine. The entry goes on to note that the ground floor was half occupied with machinery, the first floor one-quarter occupied, and the second floor fully fitted out. It appears to have been operational by the following year, power being supplied by a 40 hp steam engine. According to Bassett, writing in 1886, it was designed by Hill’s cousin William Mitchell and cost £40,000. Hill sold his enterprise to the Drumalane Spinning Company in 1876 (this name also appears in the valuations in the same year). In 1882, the Bessbrook Spinning Company took over operations, followed from c.1918 by the Blackstaff Spinning & Weaving Co. According to the 1873 large-scale OS map, buildings 1, 2, 5 and 6 were the first to be built, along with the chimney. The Valuation Revision maps indicate that building 4 was probably added c.1879, and building 7 sometime afterwards. Building 6 has obviously been completely rebuilt during the present century; the only original portion which survives is its west gable. Bassett describes the mill thus: “The walls are composed of native granite, the window dressings being of red brick. The stairs are also of granite, and the building throughout is in almost every respect fire-proof.” He also noted 7200 spindles in operation and a workforce of 300-400 people. At this time, there were also two other spinning mills operating in the town, along with two weaving factories. Historically, this complex is of interest in being erected at the time of the ‘cotton famine’ which resulted from the American civil war – this led to a boom Ulster’s linen industry. Moreover, it also demonstrates the shift from water to steam power, and from rural to urban locations for such mills. The mill closed c.1961 and has been occupied by Timber & tile Products Ltd since c.1964. Sources: PRONI: VAL 12B/15/1B, p.213, /1C, p.317, /1E, p.343, /1G, p.350; OS 9/15/2/25); VAL 12B/22/18B-D; VAL 12E/125/1/25. G.H. Bassett (1886), Co Down guide and directory, p.87.

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion D. Plan Form F. Structural System H-. Alterations detracting from building

Historic Interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A granite multi-storey/ multi-bay flax spinning mill with ancillary buildings. Buildings 1-5 and the chimney are of interest but buildings 6 and 7 are of no special architectural or historical interest. Of note is the main block which is well proportioned and executed and has undergone minimal alteration. Features of particular note are the vaulted fireproof ceilings, end stairwell, cast-iron panelled toilets on the façade. The contrasting scale and materials of the other buildings contribute to the whole, particularly when viewed from the canal.

General Comments

Date of Survey

25 September 1997