Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB26/10/006

Address :
Owen O'Cork Mill 288 Beersbridge Road Belfast Co Down BT5 5DX

Townland:
Ballyhackamore

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Survey 2:
B2

Date of Listing:
09/05/1988 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Shop

Former Use
Mill

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
Yes

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
130/14

IG Ref:
J3640 7368

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Owner Category

Commercial

Exterior Description And Setting

Large, four, two and single storey brick-built flax mill complex largely dating from c.1850 but much extended in the later 19th and early 20th century. The mill is set on the NW side of Beersbridge Road, near the intersection with Bloomfield Drive. [The buildings within this complex lie either on a NW-SE or a NE-SW axis, for the purposes of this description, however, NW will be taken as W, NE as E etc.] A- THE MILL The main section of the mill, the mill proper as it were, lies roughly in the centre of the complex and consists of a long (over 90m) and relatively plain, four storey, brick-built structure with a part gabled, part flat roof. This structure was built at various times. The eastern half and the lower two storeys of the western half date from some time between 1835 and 1853, probably 1850. The short, slightly projecting, central section (which originally housed the engine) also dates from the same period, but was lifted up a further storey in 1911. The upper two storeys of the western half probably also date from 1911. The mill has a plain, functional, uniform appearance, with nothing in the way of decoration or architectural flair as seen in other mid 19th century mills such as Herdmans’ at Sion Mills, Andrews’ at Comber and Jennymount in North Belfast. Apart from the subtle changes in the tone of the brick marking the earlier and later parts of the building, the uniformity of the brick façade is only broken up with in-out painted stone quoins a painted parapet, and, (to the centre of both the N and S elevations), the full height square projecting bay of the engine section. There are generally 35 windows to each floor all regularly arranged, with the ground floor to the N punctuated with various pedestrian and vehicle doorways (not all of which are original), with a much lesser amount or doorways to the ground floor level to S. The doorways are filled with a mixture of functional doors, some partly glazed, others plain metal or timber sheeted, with roller shutters or metal doors to the vehicle doorways. The windows are all tall flat arched examples, with timber eight or three-light frames, all probably early to mid 20th century replacements. The windows to the first and second floors of the engine bay to both N and S are the only exceptions to this rule, being much broader with twelve light frames. To the ground floor of the N elevation there are various signboards (relating to various businesses housed therein). Just to left of the engine bay to N, a corrugated [?]asbestos clad link extends from the first floor level to a large free standing three storey building (the former engine house- see below). To immediate right of the same bay the façade rises through parapet level to form a small castellated ‘tower’. Just below the tower (and below parapet level) is a painted date panel of 1911. Close to the right hand end of the N elevation there is a recent fire escape stair. To the ground floor left on the S elevation most of the window openings are now covered with corrugated iron sheets. To the right on the ground floor there are two single storey flat roofed links which stretch to a relatively large double-pile single storey building further to the S (see below). The short E elevation of the mill appears to be gabled. It has a large, central, full height projecting curved stairwell, which is lit (to the N and S sides) by a large square multi-pane window at each half-landing level. This projection appears to be flat roofed. To the immediate left (S) of this stairwell there is a later (probably c.1911) square full height projection, which contains toilets. This has a two light window to each level on the S side, and also appears to have a flat roof. To the short W elevation of the mill there is a central square full height (toilet) projection. This is similar to that to the E -and undoubtedly dates from the same time- but has two windows to each level on the S side, and a single window to the top two floors on the N side. To the right of this projection (on main building) there is a single window to each level. Though the E elevation appears to be gabled, the roof of this section, and the whole mill, appears to be flat. This could not be confirmed. Documentary evidence tells us that the earlier part to the mill to the east did originally have a gabled roof. To the central eastern and western ends of the roof assorted mobile telephone mast paraphernalia has been attached. B- THE ENGINE HOUSE The engine house lies just to the N of the central point of the mill. It is also entirely brick-built, three storeys high and has a part gabled, part hipped slated roof. The date of the building is uncertain, for though an ‘engine house and drying loft’ is shown on this site on the valuation plan of 1860 it is recorded as being two storey. A similar building is shown on the plan of 1871, but the chimney is to the W not the east as it is today. The brick suggests the building probably dates from 1873-4, but the single storey flat roofed projection to the front and the chimneystack were added post 1902. The ground floor of the E elevation is largely taken up with a relatively tall single storey flat roofed projection. To the E face of this there are four, large semicircular headed openings, with painted [?stone] voussoirs and a painted course at springing level. Three of these openings are filled with recent glazing, the remaining one largely filled with a recent glazed door. All of these openings have roller shutters attached. Above the openings to the left side raised plastic lettering spells out the name of the business therein. To its N end this projection abuts a tall, battered, octagonal, brick-built chimneystack. To the first floor of the E elevation of the main part of the building there are five evenly-spaced square-ish segmental headed windows with sash frames with Georgian panes. To the second floor there are five similar, but shorter, windows. To the N –facing gable there is a plain [?metal] sheeted door to left on the first floor, accessed by a metal stair. To the ground floor left of this there are two relatively small windows (covered with security grills) and a doorway to right again, with louvered door. The ground floor level of the W elevation appears to have been originally open, with the header of the opening supported on cast iron columns. The opening is now largely bricked-up, however, with a large vehicle doorway (with roller shutter) to the right of centre. The cast iron columns are still visible. To the first and second floors are windows as corresponding floors on E elevation. To the first floor of the S elevation there extends a corrugated [?]asbestos clad link, which extends to the mill (see above). To far right (on the single storey section) there are two arched recesses, similar to the windows to front (but filled in with brick). C- OFFICE AND STORES To the E/NE side of the complex, (facing out on to Beersbridge Road) is a long, plain two storey, flat roofed building, built in 1873-74 as a flax store and offices. The front elevation faces E. To the ground floor there are twelve openings, consisting of ten tall segmental headed windows and two doorways. The first four windows to left have Georgian-paned sash frames; with the rest have later eight-light frames, similar to those on the mill. The doorways lie between the 3rd and 4th and 5th and 6th windows. The door to left is narrower and has a tall segmental headed fanlight, whilst the broader doorway to left has a double door with roller shutter and (timber) signboard over. To the first floor there are twelve blind windows. To the right hand (N) edge of the front elevation are painted in-out quoins. To the left hand edge there small section wall sandstone walling, possibly a remnant of an earlier building on this site. Directly above this section of walling there is a large [?]cast iron date panel (‘1873’). The short S elevation is largely in red brick (as front) but with a large section of the first floor in recent concrete brick. To the ground floor there are two windows to left as ground floor front left. To right of these windows a modern metal gate has been attached. To right again a number of small laminated signboards have been attached. The short N elevation has a blind window to the ground floor (this may have originally been open). There are two windows to the first floor, both as front but with early 20th century multi-pane frames. In-out quoins to left hand edge. To the left hand side of the rear elevation there is a relatively recent looking single storey lean-to extension with roughcast façade and corrugated iron roof. To the W this extension abuts a long single storey building (see below). To the immediate right of the lean-to there is a doorway with double door and large area of metal sheeting above (this opening may once have been a window). To the right of this there are five windows and a smaller doorway. The windows are as front but with slightly varying Georgian-paned sash windows. The doorway has a large signboard over. To the first floor there are eleven windows and a doorway (the latter to the centre). The windows have a early to mid 20th century timber frames. The glazing in some of the windows has been obscured [?with paint ?plastic]. The doorway to the centre has a timber sheeted door with large multi-pane fanlight. D- STORES To the N side of the complex is a long single storey gabled building in brick with a corrugated asbestos roof. To the W end the roof is slightly higher and the high and lower levels of the roof are separated by a crow-step gable. To the long S elevation there is a series of largely uniform flat arch windows to the right and centre, interspersed with various doorways including a large vehicle one. To the left hand side there are two more large flat arch vehicle doorways, some narrower windows and some blind windows. The windows have a mixture of frames, most of them Georgian-paned types probably dating from the early 1900s. All the windows are covered with security grills. A small section of façade to the right hand side is finished in rough cast. There is a [?]stone header course across much of this elevation. The elevation is interspersed with laminated signboards of various size. The W gable is blank and has a crow-step parapet. The E gable abuts the lean-to of the office and store block, (see above), and has a rendered parapet. The rear elevation could not be seen in its entirety. To the left hand side there are a series of blind windows; there may be similar features to the right hand side. E- STORE TO SOUTH OF MILL To the immediate S of the mill is a large single storey gabled building in brick. The building dates from some time after 1902, possibly 1911. It is plain and functional and is linked to the mill by means of Two narrow flat roofed corridors to its N side. The building is now entered from the E gable where, to left, there is a recessed PVC glazed door screen. Above this there is a large plastic sign board, and to right a large window opening has been blocked up (and rendered over). To the long S elevation there is a uniform series of large segmental headed window openings, now all covered over with corrugated iron. Two doorways to the right hand side have been blocked up in breeze block. To the W gable there is a large flat arch (loading bay) doorway, with roller shutter. This is not original. To left of this a large window has been blocked up (much as E gable). The N elevation could not be seen, nor could the roof covering. To the S/SW of this building there is a large, recently constructed corrugated iron clad single storey gabled building. F- BUILDING TO SE To the SE of the mill, and fronting on to Beersbridge Road, is a relatively large, plain, gabled building is brick with a part slated, part corrugated asbestos roof. To the far left on the front (E) elevation there is a recessed doorway (with recent door). To far right there is another doorway with plain metal sheeted door. In between these there are five broad windows set at a relatively high level. These are separated by pilaster-like brick piers and all have recent awnings over. A very large plastic sign board spans the whole length of the elevation above window and door level. The S gable could not be seen in its entirety, but appears to be abutted by a shed belonging to a house further to the S and appears to be devoid of openings. The gable to the N has had all its openings (three windows and a doorway) blocked up in a mixture of breeze block and red brick. The rear elevation could not be seen in its entirety, but to left (N) it has a relatively large flat roofed brick projection with two smaller flat roofed projections further to left. All of the openings to all of these projections there writers could see, were blocked in a mixture of brick and breeze block, with one opening covered in metal sheeting. A small section of the roof to the N end is covered in corrugated asbestos. This is separated from the rest of the slated roof by a brick parapet with rendered coping. G- SMALL ‘SHED’ TO E To the immediate E of the mill, and backing on to Beersbridge Road, is a (relatively) small single storey gabled building largely in brick. The building, which appears to have been originally used as a shed and now appears to be a store), is entered from a recessed plain sheeted double door to the left on the W elevation. The rest of this elevation does not appear have any openings. To the right hand side the elevation is abutted by the mills square toilet projection (see above). The exposed part of the elevation appears to be wholly in brick. The N gable is in plain render and has no openings, but is partly covered in various plastic / laminated sign boards. The modern entrance gate is attached to this gable. To the right on the S gable there is a doorway much as W elevation. The lower half of this gable is in random rubble, the rest in brick. Most of the E elevation is in random rubble, with a small upper portion in brick. Much of this upper portion is covered by two long [?]laminated sign boards. The gabled roof is slated. To W there is a small skylight. To E there are two rectangular areas which are covered in what looks like felt; these may once have been skylights. YARDS AND OTHER BUILDINGS The yard to the N of the mill (with engine house to S and former stores to E and N sides) is covered in tarmac and concrete and is now largely used as a car park. To the W end of this area there is a large, recently constructed gabled warehouse in concrete block and corrugated metal sheeting. To the S/SW of the mill the open ground is now largely overgrown (and used as a dump), to the SE of this is another recently constructed gabled warehouse building, in corrugated metal sheeting.

Architects

Not Known

Historical Information

The general site on which this complex stands has been home to a mill since the early 1600s at least, the place name ‘Owen O’Cork’ possibly deriving from the Gaelic for ‘river of the oat mill’. Buildings are shown just to the north west of the present on the OS map of 1834, one marked ‘Beer’s Mills’, the other simply marked ‘mill’. These may have been separate establishments, for though the valuation of 1833 appears to refer to both buildings as a ‘spinning mill’ under the ownership of one William Radcliffe, the OS Memoirs of the following year mention ‘Beer’s Mills’ as ‘a large flour mill’. ‘Radcliffe & Munce’ are listed as corn (i.e. flour) millers in ‘Pigot’s directory’ of 1824, so it is probable that all the buildings shown on the 1834 were under one ownership, but may have had different functions. Whatever the case, by 1857, when the revised OS map was produced, all of the former buildings had been cleared and (much of) the present mill erected. When all of this took place is uncertain. William Radcliffe is believed to have gone bankrupt in 1843, and no mill is recorded in Slater’s Directory of 1846, however the present (spinning) mill was the subject of an arbitration case in 1853 and recorded in Slater’s 1856 directory and the valuation of 1860 suggests that the building was less than 20 years old at that date, all pointing to some time around 1850. This is further supported by a large cast iron date ‘stone’ of 1850, which the present caretaker of the complex found loose in the mill building some years ago. The new mill was probably built by James and William Steen, who are recorded as owners in the aforementioned 1860 valuation. This same valuation gives us a detailed account of the site at that date, telling us that the mill building itself was four storeys to the east side, but only two storeys to the west with a three storey engine house section to the centre, that there was a separate free-standing two storey engine house to the north side (where the present ‘engine house’ now stands), with two and single storey stores and mechanics’ shops to the north-east and north-west. To the south were two rows of workers’ houses (‘Steen’s Row’), with a large two storey dwelling occupied by the Steens themselves (and later known as ‘Owen O’Cork House’), to the west. The mill’s 11,378 spindles were driven by two steam engines of 45 and 25 horse power respectively. The Steens sold the mill in 1873 to the Belfast Flax & Jute Company, who immediately carried out major alterations to the site by building a new complex of two and single storey stores to the north and east and the present engine house, on the site of the old one. The complex remained in this form until 1911 when the western and central sections of the mill were raised to four storey (and the gabled roof removed from the original four storey eastern section); the single storey extension to the engine house and the large stores to the south of the mill itself. The Owen O’Cork Mill continued to operate until the 1970s after which the complex became a base for various diverse businesses. In c.2000 a large (mainly corrugated metal clad) warehouse was erected to the western end of the site. References- Primary sources 1 ‘Pigot & Co’s City of Dublin and Hibernian Commercial directory’ (Manchester, 1824) 2 PRONI VAL/1B/318 First valuation book, Parish of Holywood, 1833 3 PRONI VAL/1A/3/4 First valuation map of Holywood parish etc., 1833-34 4 ‘OS Memoirs of Ireland- Parishes of Co Down II’ ed Angelique Day and Patrick McWilliams (QUB, 1991), p.76 5 ‘I. Slater’s national commercial directory of Ireland’ (Manchester, 1846) 6 PRONI D.1903/14, 28-29, 40a, 40c Various legal documents relating to the Owen O’Cork mill, 1853-76, including an arbitration award (1853), plan of part of the mill and agreement for sale (1873) and letters re the Poor Rate on the premises (1876) 7 ‘I. Slater’s national commercial directory of Ireland’ (Manchester, 1856) 8 PRONI VAL/2B/3/18d Second valuation book, Parish of Holywood, 1860 [This book includes a detailed hand drawn plan of the mill complex.] 9 PRONI VAL/1A/3/4 First valuation map of Holywood parish etc., 1860-61 10 PRONI VAL/12B/17/2a-f Annual valuation revision notebooks, Holywood parish etc., 1863-91 10 PRONI D.1189 Volumes of accounts relating to the Owen O’Cork mill (1867-1953) [70 vols] 11 PRONI D.793 Plan of the Owen O’Cork mill, 1871 12 PRONI VAL/12B/43l/1-11 Annual valuation notebooks, Pottinger Ward, 1897-1930 13 PRONI OS/6/3/4/3 OS map 6in county series, Co Down sh 4, 1902 Secondary sources 1 T. Steele and V. Kelly, “Historical notes and reminiscences about the Owen O’Cork and Jennymount mills” in ‘Journal of the East Belfast Historical Society’ vol.2, 1985

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

B. Proportion J. Setting K. Group value

Historic Interest

X. Local Interest Z. Rarity

Evaluation

Large, four, two and single storey brick-built flax mill complex largely dating from c.1850 but much extended in the later 19th and early 20th century.

General Comments

Date of Survey

28 March 2002