Glanworth Mills (Woollen)

On W bank of River Funshion; built against rock face to W, and overlooked by Glanworth Castle (14328). Rectangular 2-storey mill (18.5m E-W; 14m N-S), 6 bays wide; double-gable-ended to E; random rubble limestone construction with brick-dressed opes. In appearance mid-/late-19th-century- E wall rebuilt using masonry of earlier structure. Millrace taken from river by weir c. 150m to N, tail race flows under Glanworth Bridge (14817) immediately to S. Wheel-pit (Wth 3m) alongside E wall contains cast-iron poncelot waterwheel (diam. c. 4.5m; Wth 2.45m) with curved wooden paddles. Modern buildings to S contain 20th-century carding machine and bags of wool. Indicated on 1842 OS 6-inch map as L-shaped 'flour mill'; second 'flour mill' indicated on E bank of river to S of Glanworth Bridge, no longer survives. Excavations at Glanworth Castle discovered a paved area made with millstones (Mould 1991, 152) which are likely to have come from these mills. Lewis (1837, vol. 1, 655) refers to mill as property of Messrs. Murphy and Kelleher. Grove White (1905-25, vol. 3, 138) describes it as woollen mill belonging to John F. Quinlan & Co., which was 'burned many years ago'. Subsequent to site inspection mill building restored and in 1998 converted to restaurant. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 4: North Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2000). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009