mill (water)

Mill complex, comprising two-storey corn mill, built c.1800, having three-bay first floor and five-bay ground floor, with lower three-bay two-storey flax mill of c.1890 recessed to west gable end, slightly lower two-bay two-storey grain store to west gable end, and lower two-storey block of two workers' houses having three-bay first floor and five-bay ground floor. Built into slope, buildings having single-storey rear (north) elevation. Pitched slate roofs throughout, with clay ridge tiles and concrete copings to mills and store, and red brick chimneystacks and eaves course to worker's houses, with clay tiles to ridge. Rubble stone walls with vestiges of render, and having squared stone quoins, rubble quoins to workers' houses. Two blocked elliptical carriage arches to corn mill, one with traces of former gable, and evidence of former openings to first floor. Square-headed window openings, some with stone sills, some with timber battened shutters, some boarded up. Square-headed door openings, with timber battened doors. Camber-arch opening to front (south) elevation of flax mill with projecting cast-iron breast-shot waterwheel.

This complex of related mill structures is representative of the long industrial history of the site, and of the industrial focus of County Monaghan as a whole. Originally built for the processing of flax, the site was converted to corn milling, and the endeavour diversified again in the late nineteenth century with the addition of a flax mill. Although it is no longer in use, it is a notably intact set of structures, retaining significant early form and fabric, including the flax mill water-wheel, which adds technical and contextual interest to the site. The presence of worker's houses completes a fine ensemble of industrial structures.