mill (water)

Detached thirteen-bay five-storey rubble stone flour mill, c.1800, with single-bay five-storey return to south-east. Subsequently in use as corn mill, pre-1902. Closed, 1902. Disused, 1948. Recommissioned, pre-1973. Now disused. Hipped slate roof (including to return) with clay ridge tiles, and iron rainwater goods on rendered squared rubble stone eaves. Random rubble stone walls to front (north-west) elevation with unpainted roughcast walls to remainder having waterwheel to side (south-west) elevation. Camber-headed window openings with no sills, red brick voussoirs, and timber casement windows (most missing glazing). Square-headed door openings (some in camber-headed recesses including to left to third floor) with lintels, red brick voussoirs, and timber boarded doors. Elliptical-headed culvert to right ground floor with limestone ashlar voussoirs, and rubble stone soffits having remains of render over. Set back from road in own grounds with gravel forecourt, and mill pond to west.

An impressive large-scale mill also known as Hutchinson's Mill forming an important element of the industrial heritage of Kells having historically supported much of the agricultural economy of the locality and the hinterlands. Making a dramatic visual statement in the local landscape the mill is distinguished by the ponderous quality produced by attributes including the solid form and massing of the composition together with the regular pattern of the small-scale openings. Despite economic upheavals over the course of the twentieth century leading to the closure of the mill on a number of occasions the structure has been reasonably well maintained to retain many of the historic attributes: the survival of the waterwheel is of particular importance in identifying the engineering significance of the site. One of a number of industrial buildings in the immediate locality (including 12315001/KK-27-15-01) the mill remains of particular importance for the contribution made to the picturesque scenic value of the townscape of Kells.