Monumental Works — Kilnap

On S side of Kilnap Glen, site of Shaw's flour mills, built in 1830s, replaced in late 19th century by present mill, marked 'Corn Mill (disused) 'on 1902 OS 6-inch map, taken over shortly thereafter as sculpture works. Roofless square 2-storey red sandstone building with rusticated limestone quoins. N elevation of 6 bays, camber-headed brick-arched window opes, wide arched ope at N end of E wall with date '1871'. W wall removed when 2-storey addition built onto W side. Earth-filled pit in narrow yard outside E face; probably housing downward axial flow or pelton wheel turbine (Rynne pers. comm.) fed by cylindrical vertical duct. Iron water tank above shaft fed by brick-lined head race via lintelled culvert. To S, bed for cross compound steam engine; flywheel attached to crank driven eccentric rod which transmitted power to well preserved stone saw to N (Rynne pers. comm.). Arch at base of W wall of pit probably channeled tail race under mill. Interior of mill filled with rubble. S wall of earlier structure (long axis E-W) survives to S, revetting hillside; low brick-arched ope at E end leads at angle into earth-filled tunnel; according to local information flue led to octagonal brick chimney (H c. 10m) atop hill c. 50m to S. Second arch may be for boiler. One-storey gabled structure (long axis E-W) to E of mill, 6 bays on N elevation; second steam engine bed and remains of saw to E. Parts of retaining wall to S date from pre-1842 mill; no trace of wheel pits for two water wheels in use in 1860s (Rynne pers. comm.). Mill pond to E, substantially enlarged in late 19th century. Massive rusticated stone railway viaduct (constructed c. 1849) crosses E edge of site. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 2: East and South Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1994). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009