Cloth Mill — Unknown Townland

Annotated ‘Cloth Mill’ on the 1837 ed. OS six-inch map where it is shown as a large building standing on the N bank of the River Dodder which at this point forms the townland boundary with Rathmines Great.  This building is annotated ‘Laundry’ on the last edition of the OS six-inch map.  In 1801 the Statistical Survey of Dublin recorded that  in the townland of Milltown there stood ‘two woollen machines’  which was the property of a Mr Hunt (Archer 1801, 206).  In 1837 the Topographical Dictionary of Ireland recorded that ‘the woollen mills, which were established 35 years since for the manufacture of low-priced cloths, employ about 60 persons, under Mr. Morris Harnett’ (Lewis 1837, 370).  According to Rob Goodbody (pers. comms. 08/02/1997) the former Dublin Laundry site was occupied by a mill at least as early as the end of the 17th century when it was a tuck mill owned by Alderman William Fownes.   Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien