Milling complex in Carker

On N bank of River Ogeen. Roofless 3-storey rectangular mill (int. 13.62m E-W; 5.68m N-S), S elevation of 4 bays. Window opes have wooden lintels. Wheel-pit (Wth 1.94m; D 1.94m) alongside E wall; contains wooden axle (diam. 43.5cm; L 3.1m) of breastshot waterwheel, cast-iron gudgeon and eight iron sockets for wooden arms (one survives), and remains of wooden shrouding with outline of buckets. Axle runs into mill over internal pit for pit-wheel. Central fireplace on internal W wall. Mill built against slope with rectangular 2-storey extension (int. 5.15m N-S; 5.89m E-W) on N side atop slope. Internal features of latter removed but appears to be remains of grain-drying kiln. Second mill to SE is 1-storey rectangular structure (5.5m N-S; 4.5m E-W). Wheel-pit (Wth 1.08m) alongside E wall, contains wooden axle (diam. 0.5m; L 2.4m) of breast-shot waterwheel with iron gudgeon. Launder (no longer survives) was supported on much-collapsed stone causeway to N. Interior overgrown: ramp of timber planks set in cement up to ope in NE corner; adjacent rectangular trough enclosed by low cement wall; both features probably associated with early-20th-century laundry. Structure to NW of mill complex is ruin of 2-storey, 4-bay house (18.2m E-W; 5.95m N-S) which is shown on 1842 OS 6-inch map. William Ashton had mill here in 1796, subsequently occupied by Barry who used mills for grinding corn and had a bakery in the yard (Grove White 1905-25, vol. 2, 28-9). In 1850 passed to Edward O'Connor (Ned the Tucker) who converted it into a carding mill; later he carried on spinning and weaving, making flannel, blankets, frieze and tweeds (ibid.). In early 20th century, owned by his son John O'Connor, who turned it into a government laundry (ibid., 29-30). Indicated as 'Old Mill' on 1842 OS 6-inch map, with millrace taken from river by weir c. 900m to N; shown on 1906 OS 6-inch map as 'Carker Mill (Woollen)' with second smaller mill to SE, sharing mill pond to E. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork.