Ireland has a number of largish flour mills dating from early 1800s when agricultural trade with Britain was increasing due the Napoleonic wars.
Many of them are listed (called ‘protected’ in Eire) but are little more than shells - others such as Ballyduff and Coola still have some equipment.
The listing for Ballyonan doesn’t say much more than “detached five-bay four-storey mill, extant 1837, on a rectangular plan”, so I went for a quick once round with headtorch and phone to see if there was anything left inside.
First the map - the watercourses are now mostly dry, but it was obviously powered at both ends.
A google street view and a picture of the rear although it’s difficult to see much because of the trees.
The area immediately in front of the mill is not really accessible since it’s used by a horse rescue place.
Wheelpit at the northern end - a topshot or high breastshot wheel would have lived here.
The other end was powered by a water turbine, which if it’s still there is now under the mud.
Back to the waterwheel end, there’s a standard transmission turning two pairs of stones on the floor above, with takeoffs for ancillary equipment.
The roof above this section has gone and the whole lot is collapsing.
One of the pairs of stones - the other is in the process of falling through the floor.
Main shaft.
Some other bits at this end.
At the turbine end here’s another pair of stones although most of the transmission on the floor below has gone.
I didn’t do the top floors as the ladder up wasn’t looking too healthy - there should be a sack hoist up there somewhere.
Instead some equipment on the ground floor, a winnower and a well-preserved Bamford grinder.
Finally the kiln - many mills had these with the grain spread out to dry on a floor of perforated plates (iron or ceramic) above an oven.
They’re fairly fragile and tend not to survive well - this one is no exception, with only the iron beams for the drying floor left.
It’s a bit of a wreck but there was more left than I was expecting.
Many of them are listed (called ‘protected’ in Eire) but are little more than shells - others such as Ballyduff and Coola still have some equipment.
The listing for Ballyonan doesn’t say much more than “detached five-bay four-storey mill, extant 1837, on a rectangular plan”, so I went for a quick once round with headtorch and phone to see if there was anything left inside.
First the map - the watercourses are now mostly dry, but it was obviously powered at both ends.
A google street view and a picture of the rear although it’s difficult to see much because of the trees.
The area immediately in front of the mill is not really accessible since it’s used by a horse rescue place.
Wheelpit at the northern end - a topshot or high breastshot wheel would have lived here.
The other end was powered by a water turbine, which if it’s still there is now under the mud.
Back to the waterwheel end, there’s a standard transmission turning two pairs of stones on the floor above, with takeoffs for ancillary equipment.
The roof above this section has gone and the whole lot is collapsing.
One of the pairs of stones - the other is in the process of falling through the floor.
Main shaft.
Some other bits at this end.
At the turbine end here’s another pair of stones although most of the transmission on the floor below has gone.
I didn’t do the top floors as the ladder up wasn’t looking too healthy - there should be a sack hoist up there somewhere.
Instead some equipment on the ground floor, a winnower and a well-preserved Bamford grinder.
Finally the kiln - many mills had these with the grain spread out to dry on a floor of perforated plates (iron or ceramic) above an oven.
They’re fairly fragile and tend not to survive well - this one is no exception, with only the iron beams for the drying floor left.
It’s a bit of a wreck but there was more left than I was expecting.
Last edited:
