Andrew's Spinning Mill, 1 Ballygowan Road, Comber, Co Down

Andrews' flax spinning mill is a large complex of buildings located north of the Ballygowan Road (where it meets Brae Side), just over a quarter of a mile south-west of Comber town centre. The complex comprises a range of multi-storey buildings, varying from single to five storeys, mainly constructed in dressed rectangular sandstone blocks with yellowish brick surrounds to openings. The earliest portions of the mill date from 1863-4, with the complex expanding to its present form during the late 19th and first half of the 20th century. Some sections, notably B3, are relatively recent additions, perhaps from around the 1970s. Unless otherwise stated, the walls of all buildings are of dressed rectangular sandstone blocks laid randomly, and all windows are timber framed.

Block A

This single-storey building is situated at the north-east corner of the site and is five windows long, now used as a store. It has a hipped natural slate roof and walls of coarsely dressed stonework brought to mortared courses, with plain projecting ashlar eaves. Rainwater goods are missing. The west gable has a large sliding wooden door. There is also a beaded tongue-and-groove door with a six-pane transom light along the south wall. Window openings have sandstone heads and cills. Along the north wall, the windows are eight-over-eight sliding sashes; the openings are infilled along the south wall.

Block B

This block is situated along the east side of the complex and comprises five principal units (B1-5), the most notable being the engine house (B1), preparing mill (B2), and office (B5).

Unit B1 (Engine House)

This single-storey, single-bay building is located at the north-west corner of the spinning mill. It was erected in 1915, as indicated by the date above its porch, which was also when the first floor was added to the mill. It has a flat concrete roof over metal beams. There was formerly a water tank on the roof, now removed. The sandstone blockwork is uncoursed and laid in cement with finely-dressed pocked faces. In the middle of the south wall is a porch (B1.2) with a similar roof, walls and eaves (with the addition of a blocking course above the cornice), and smooth ashlar quoins. The door opening, which has ashlar jambs and stepped ashlar voussoirs, contains a pair of partly-glazed timber doors with a semicircular transom over. All window openings have semicircular heads, chamfered and stepped ('in and out') yellow-brick jambs, and ashlar sandstone cills. The windows have spoked heads, margined panes and bottom-hinged top openers. There is a three-paned window to each cheek of the porch and a similar but larger four-paned window on the main wall either side of the porch. There are two identical four-pane windows along both sides of the main block. At the back are two similar windows, between which is a double-leaf door.

The rope drive from the engine is housed in a flat-roofed bay (B1.3) added to the north gable of the mill. It was built at the same time as the engine house and is of identical wall construction. There are two tall flat-headed windows to each floor along its back (north-facing) wall, all with one-over-four panes and ashlar sandstone cills. At the east end of the rope drive bay is a two-storey toilet block (B1.4), accessible from both floors of the rope drive bay and mill. It was built at the same time as the rope drive and is of identical construction. Both its floors have small windows on its north and east walls.

Unit B2 (Preparing Mill)

This block, which was used for preparing flax for spinning, was erected in two stages. Initially it was a single-storey building, erected in 1901 according to a stone on the porch on its west wall. A second floor was added in 1915, as indicated by the datestone above the earlier one. It would have been at this time that the stairway was added to the south gable, increasing its length to 21 bays. The roof is flat and of felted reinforced concrete, with cast-iron downpipes on the east wall. Its ground floor walls have roughly dressed faces and the sandstone blocks have been brought to cemented courses. The blockwork of the upper floor walls has more finely dressed surfaces and is laid irregularly. All window openings to both floors have almost-flat yellow brick heads and stepped jambs. Contrary to what one might expect, their ground floor cills are of concrete, but ashlar sandstone on the first floor. All contain one-over-four pane top-opening windows; the only exception is the ground floor window to the west wall of the stairwell, which is a two-pane margined fixed light.

A single-storey porch (B2.2) abuts the middle of the west wall. It has a flat concrete roof with a dentiled yellow brick cornice. Its walls and opening trim are the same as the ground floor of the mill, but with chamfered edges to the quoins. There is a painted tongue-and-groove door in its west face, with a two-pane transom above. There is a one-over-four top-hung window to each cheek. Access can also be gained to both floors of the mill from the stairwell which occupies the southernmost bay (B2.3). There is a door at either end of this well, which also contains an electric lift and stairs to the office block. The fact that its walls are like the top floor of the mill, and that the south gable of the mill proper has blocked-up windows, confirms that both floors of this bay were later additions. The stonework also reveals this as an addition. There are two small cement-rendered toilet blocks on the east wall (B2.4, 2.5). The north stack is one storey high and is probably contemporary with the 1901 building. The south stack is two storeys high and was probably added in 1915. A small single-storey block (B2.6) abuts the east wall immediately north of the north toilet stack. It has a monopitched slate roof with two skylights to its sarked ceiling. The walls are painted and plastered internally, and its floor is tiled. It has a one-over-four top-opening window to each cheek.

Unit B3

Immediately east of the preparing mill is a large modern single-storey shed. It is now a workshop but was originally built as a hackling room. Its pitched roof has parapeted verges and is covered with profiled metal sheeting. There is a vertical break on the east-facing pitch of the roof to accommodate a row of windows. Aluminium rainwater goods. The walls are of brick, with recessed panels dressed with rusticated cream brick. Its east wall forms part of the boundary to the complex. There is a roller shuttered door on its south gable, with a decorative brick roundel above. There is also a short linking passage on the west wall through to the preparing department. The north gable contains four modern plastic windows (observed as three four-pane windows by later surveyors).

Unit B4

This L-shaped block abuts the east end of the south wall of B2. It is two storeys high and contains offices and recreational facilities. At first floor level, it is six windows wide along its south wall (which fronts the street), and seven windows wide along its east wall (which forms part of the eastern boundary of the site). It appears to incorporate three phases of construction. The first phase was a single-storey block along the street frontage of roughly square plan (B4.1). Its walls are of sandstone blockwork brought to courses. There is a doorway at the west end of the south wall, which also has a single two-over-two sliding sash window. Its north wall has a large ten-over-ten sash window. Both windows have sandstone heads, jambs and cills. There are three windows (one is two-over-two sliding sash) to the west elevation.

The building was subsequently raised by a floor and also extended by a two-storey canted bay at east (B4.2). This upper floor was erected specifically as a mill school. It was accessed via a yard from the street through a doorway in the boundary wall just right of the gatehouse. This opening has ashlar sandstone jambs and head (all with stop-end chamfering), a moulded cornice and a blocking course. The lintel is inscribed "Comber Spinning Mill National School" and the blocking course carries the date "1877" (now largely obscured by greenery). The opening contains a painted tongue-and-groove door, now disused. Although there is no obvious wall break between the two floors, the blockwork of the upper floor is smaller, more finely dressed and laid in regular courses; there is also a moulded sandstone cornice. The roof of this two-storey building is hipped at its west end and has natural slates and cast-iron gutters of ogee profile. A yellow-brick chimney rises through its canted corner at east. There is a door into the ground floor at east, on the canted corner. This opening has an ashlar sandstone surround, a moulded cornice and a horizontal drip mould. It contains a painted tongue-and-groove door with a two-pane transom over. The six first floor window openings along the south wall (two of which are in the cant) have cream-brick heads and jambs, and concrete cills, as have the two windows to east and west. All contain metal-framed one-over-four top-opening windows.

The third phase of construction was the addition of a two-storey return at the east end of the north wall of the existing block (B4.3). The date "1908" is inscribed above the doorway on its north gable. There is a clear wall break along the east wall between the second and third window openings from south. The sandstone blockwork of the new addition is dressed to a higher standard and laid randomly in cement. Its roof, a continuation of that on B4.2, is pitched at its north end, and the gutters are of ogee-profile cast-iron. All the openings on this return have yellow-brick heads, chamfered and stepped yellow-brick jambs, and the windows have sandstone cills. Along the east wall, both floors have one-over-four top-opening windows. On its north gable is a four-panel painted timber door at centre (with a three-pane transom), to either side of which is a one-over-one sliding sash window. There are also two small one-over-one sashes at first floor. The west wall has two doors identical to the gable and three six-over-six sashes at ground floor, and three one-over-four windows at first floor. There is a small toilet block (B4.4) at first floor level across the end of the gap between B4.3 and B2.3. It has a reinforced-concrete floor and roof, and brick walls. Its three sets of metal-framed windows to north share a continuous concrete head, but have separate concrete cills. Internally, all walls are rendered and painted.

The ground floor of B4.1 contains a kitchen, toilets and a large billiards room (still with table and canopy light over). Mounted on the wall is a set of polished brass engine steam-pressure gauges by Combe, Barbour and Combe, dated 1899. The ground floor of B4.2 contains the accountant's room, and the upper floor a workshop, kitchen and landing through to the stairwell of the preparing mill. The ground floor of B4.3 contains the board room, tea room and toilets, and the upper floor a canteen and toilets.

Unit B5 (Administration)

This building abuts the west end of the south wall of the stairwell to the preparing mill. It is one storey high, and the principal elevation, which faces south, is three bays wide. It has a pyramidal natural slate roof (with two skylights to south) surmounted by a cream-brick chimney (with a moulded sandstone cap). Its sandstone blockwork has been brought to courses, with a deeply moulded sandstone cornice over which incorporates rainwater gutters (cast-iron downpipe on east wall). All the openings have cream-brick heads, stepped jambs, and sandstone cills. At centre of the south wall is the principal entrance, reached by three finely-dressed sandstone steps. Its door is of painted timber with four fielded panels and a two-pane transom light over. There are two windows to south, four to west, one to north and four to east, the majority of which are two-over-two sliding sashes.

Block C

This block, at the centre of the complex, incorporates seven units (C1-7), the most notable of which are the boiler house and chimney (C1), engine house (C2), and spinning mill (C4).

Unit C1 (Boiler House)

This two-storey plus attic, 10-bay long building is at the north end of the block. The date 1876 is inscribed on its north gable below the cill of the top window. It has a natural slate gabled roof with upstanding gabled ridge lights. The walls are of coarsely dressed blocks brought to courses with a deep moulded sandstone cornice. Their surfaces are finished to a lower standard than the adjoining spinning mill. The east wall of the ground floor is arcaded by seven semicircular headed openings, all with purple-brick dressings; the three at north are partially infilled. At the north end of this wall is a wider vehicle opening with a horizontal metal girder head (with column under at centre). Goods wagons were once brought through this room on a siding from the Belfast - Downpatrick railway. Above and in line with the ground floor openings are nine tall semicircular headed openings which extend up to eaves level. These openings have cream-brick trim and sandstone cills. Seven have louvered ventilators and the two at the north end are fenestrated with a pair of multi-paned timber lancet lights (with a pair of opening panes). There are 10 similar windows along the west wall at first floor level. There is a vehicle entrance at left on the ground floor of this elevation. The north gable has three flat-headed one-over-four windows to ground floor, three semicircular windows in line above, and a similar window in the apex.

Abutting the west wall is a duct which leads to the chimney (C1.4). This is of red brick, octagonal in cross-section, and tapers to a corbelled top. It is strengthened by iron bands and a lightning conductor runs down one side.

Unit C2 (Engine House)

Situated at the south end of the east wall of unit C1, this two-storey building rises level with the bottom three floors of C4. It was erected in 1899, the date inscribed on its east wall above the entrance porch. The roof of the engine house (C2.1) is flat and of reinforced concrete decked with plasticised sheeting. The walls are coarsely dressed sandstone blocks laid randomly, with a moulded sandstone cornice and a blocking course over. There are three rectangular recessed panels edged with yellow brick at first floor level above the ground floor openings on the east wall; the middle one bears the 1899 date. All the window openings have yellow-brick heads, stepped jambs and sandstone cills. Left and right of the entrance porch, which abuts the middle of the east wall, is a tall semicircular headed opening with a 3x4 paned spoked-headed window; between the inner and outer panes are narrow strips of stained-glass. There is an identical, but taller, window on the south gable and an infilled one on the north gable. At first floor are three flat-headed one-over-four top-opening windows. There are two identical windows on each gable.

The porch (C2.2) has a flat concrete roof, around three sides of which is a cement-rendered parapet with projecting corners and coping. Its walls, cornice and window/door trims are identical to the rest of the engine house, with the addition of finely-dressed and chamfered quoins. There is an entrance on the left and right cheeks. Both have four-panel painted timber doors with semicircular transom lights over. The east wall has a three-over-six spoked-headed sash window.

Abutting the north wall of the engine house is a small single-storey block (C2.3) of identical roof and wall construction to the porch, but with a dentiled yellow brick eaves course. On its north wall is a set of double doors, and on its east cheek a three-pane window with stained glass margins; the west cheek is blank. A tall metal chimney flue emerges through the roof. This room formerly connected with the engine house proper through a door at the bottom of the window opening in the party wall; this is now infilled.

Unit C3 (Rope Drive)

Between the boiler house and spinning mill is a three-storey, two-bay flat-roofed building. It appears to be contemporary with the adjoining mill as it is identical in construction and there is no wall break.

Unit C4 (Preparing and Spinning)

This is a four-storey plus attic building, 18 bays wide, at the south end of block C. The date '1863' is inscribed at first floor level on the 10th bay from left on the east wall. The pitched roof has natural slates and ogee cast-iron rainwater gutters (downpipes to both sides). Its sandstone blockwork is coarsely dressed and laid randomly with a moulded sandstone cornice over; the joints have been repointed with cement mortar. The south gable, which is three windows wide, has a flat parapet across its apex and is surmounted by a belfry (now without bell) and metal windvane. There is a semicircular-headed attic light in the apex. The majority of window openings have cream-brick heads and stepped jambs, and sandstone cills, with metal-framed one-over-four top-opening windows.

The three bays at the south end differ from the remaining 15. Their wall facings are more finely dressed, all their window openings are trimmed with yellow brick, and the internal columns are bigger and support larger steel joists between the brick jack arches. That this is a later addition is confirmed by a 1907 datestone underneath the second floor window on the south gable. So well has this extension been integrated that there is no trace of the mill's original south gable. At ground floor between bays 2 and 3 on the outside face of the east wall is a cast bronze plaque commemorating employees who died in the first world war.

There is a single-storey entrance porch (C4.2) at the north end of the east wall. It has a flat roof, yellow-brick trimmings and a dentiled brick eaves course. Its similarity in style and juxtaposition to the engine house suggests an 1899 construction date. There is a four-panel painted timber door on the first bay to this wall to access the stairwell and electric lift therein (C4.3). Both door openings have yellow brick dressings.

Unit C5

This unit abuts the north end of the west wall of the spinning mill. It has a natural slate roof, hipped at its north end, and ogee cast-iron gutters. It incorporates three phases of construction. The first is a small single-storey entrance porch, probably similar to C4.2. It has a one-over-four window in each cheek (that at south now blocked). Its end wall has been removed to accommodate a single-storey building at right angles to it (and parallel with the mill). The blockwork of this second phase building is coarsely dressed and brought to courses. This building was subsequently extended to the north, as evidenced by its different style of stonework, concrete window lintels and cills, and red-brick trimmed entrance from west. Its sarked roof is supported on light timber trusses.

Unit C6

This fills the angle between the south gable of C5 and the west wall of the mill. It is a large modern concrete brick shed with a flat concrete roof and a large roller shuttered vehicle door on its south gable.

Unit C7

A modern steel-framed single-storey shed, clad in profiled metal throughout, abutting the west wall of the boiler house. It contains a boiler (by Thompson Cochran), its coke supply being raised on an external conveyor belt.

Block D

This block is situated towards the west side of the premises and comprises three main elements (D1-3). Its main function was the preparing of flax for spinning.

Unit D1 (Preparing)

This is a three-storey plus attic block, 15 bays long. The functions of the various floors of D1.1 are: ground - flax store, first - drawing, second - hackling, attic - store. This section dates from 1875, the date inscribed above a doorway at the south end of the east wall. A stairwell (D1.2) is incorporated in the southernmost bay of the main floor (D1.1). An external lift shaft (D1.3) was added to the north gable in 1920 (the date inscribed at first floor level on the outside face of its north wall). There is also a cement-rendered toilet block at the south end of the west wall (D1.4), and another on the east cheek of the lift stack (D1.5).

The building has a pitched natural slate roof, with skylights and a metal ridge ventilator at its north end. Ogee cast-iron rainwater gutters. The blockwork is finely dressed and laid irregularly, with a moulded sandstone cornice. There is a four-panel wooden door with a transom light above at the south end of the east wall which leads into passage D1.2 (and from which there are connections to D1.1 and D3.2). There is also a door to the right of the lift shaft on the north gable, with an external canopy over. There are also fire escape doors on the second bay from the left on the west wall. The window openings have yellow-brick stepped jambs and heads, and sandstone cills. The windows are metal framed and contain one-over-four and two-over-four top openers. All the window openings on the south gable above the abutting building (D2) are blind, including a semicircular-headed window on the apex. Many of the ground floor windows are infilled with brick, and metal ducts have been inserted through some of the windows along the west wall.

The lift shaft tower (D1.3) projects above the apex of D1.1 at north. It is of identical construction to the main block, despite being 45 years later. It is surmounted by a small metal water tank. A window on each floor lights the well of the lift, and there is also a window to each floor of the abutting toilet block.

Unit D2

This is a two-storey, 10-window wide building across the south end of D1 and D3, facing towards the road. It has a hipped natural slate roof. There are half-round metal and plastic rainwater gutters. The blockwork is coarsely dressed and brought to courses, with a projecting eaves course and more finely dressed quoins. There is a row of small openings across the front elevation between the ground and first floors, probably ventilators. The window openings have sandstone heads and cills. In place of windows are timber louvers, most of which are intact. The fifth bay from left on the south wall contains a large double-leaf timber door. Its opening has a semi-elliptical head and is trimmed throughout with cream-brick (with chamfered edges). The fourth bay from left at first floor level on the same wall has a fire escape door. There is also a small door on the east wall, the opening of which is trimmed similar to the ground floor door on the south elevation.

Unit D3 (Carding)

This single-storey, 15-bay block is aligned parallel and west of D1. The date 1925 is inscribed above the two window openings on its north gable. A covered passage (D3.2) at the south end of its east wall connects with unit D1. It has a felted flat reinforced concrete parapeted roof supported on steel beams (one per bay). The blockwork is coarsely dressed, and laid in regular courses in cement mortar. There are doors at east and west, and to the link passage to D1. The window openings have stepped jambs and shallow segmental heads, all of yellow brick, and concrete cills. The windows are one- and two-over-four metal-framed top openers. Internally, the walls are unrendered and painted, and the floor quarry tiled. All the machinery has been removed, but traces of an overhead lineshaft remain.

Block E

This block is situated at the south-west corner of the site and comprises three sub-units (E1-3), all of which appear to have been disused for some time.

Unit E1

This two-storey, five windows long building has a hipped natural slate roof and half-round metal gutters. The walls are of coarsely dressed sandstone blocks laid irregularly in lime mortar, with a projecting eaves course. It is of similar constructional style to D2. There is a sheeted timber door on its east wall, set in an opening with chamfered cream-brick jambs and head. There is a similar door opening at first floor level on the south gable. All its window openings have sandstone heads and cills. There are three-over-six top-opening windows on the ground floor, and single-paned windows to the first floor.

Unit E2

A single-storey block, five windows long. Bounded along its west wall by a watercourse, it abuts E1 at an angle as a later addition. It has a pitched natural slate roof with a circular metal ridge ventilator. No rainwater gutters. The walls are of random rubble sandstone set in lime mortar, with dressed quoins. The windows are three-over-six sliding sash. This building is now accessible only from E3. Viewed from outside, the roof is sarked, the internal faces of the walls are cement rendered and painted, and the floor covered with quarry tiles. The watercourse runs in a north-easterly direction in a culvert under the yard and emerges at north to feed a dam from which water is abstracted.

Unit E3

A single-storey former garage infilling the angle between E1 and E2 as a later addition. It has a flat felt-covered roof and half-round plastic gutters. The walls are a mixture of finely dressed sandstone blocks and random rubble sandstone, all strap pointed with cement and with dressed quoins. It probably incorporates an earlier rubble boundary wall. There is a set of sliding wooden doors along the south wall, the jambs of which are of yellow brick. The windows are eight-over-eight sliding sash, with quarry-tile cills. A random rubble wall runs south of the south-east corner of this building to create a yard in front of E1.

Block F

This L-shaped block, at the north-west corner of the site, comprises four sub-units (F1-4). Its main function was spinning.

Unit F1 (Winding Spinning)

A single-storey block, 19 bays long and four windows wide. It is internally divided by a stud wall into two rooms: an 11-bay section at the south end (F1.1), used for spinning, and an eight-bay unit to north (F1.2), used for winding. It appears to have been built as a single unit; a datestone above the second door from the left on the east elevation is inscribed '1920'. The main block has a flat parapeted roof of felted reinforced-concrete over I-profile riveted metal girders (one beam per bay). Metal downpipes on both sides. A metal-sheeted dust extractor unit has been affixed to the top of the roof, along its west side, in the more recent past. The finely dressed sandstone blockwork is set in irregular courses, with a projecting ashlar sandstone eaves course; cement is used in the jointing. The door openings have heads and stepped jambs of purple engineering brick (with rounded corners). There are four such openings along the east elevation; the second from left, at the north end of room F1.2, has a large metal roller shutter. Along the south wall, the second window opening from left has been enlarged to form a door into unit F4. There are tall window openings along all but the north wall, each bay being lit by at least one window. All have stepped yellow brick segmental heads and jambs, and finely dressed sandstone cills. The windows have timber frames with 2x3 panes, the middle row of which are top opening.

Small flat-roofed toilet blocks project to east and west (F1.3, 1.4). The former is identical in construction to the main block and is undoubtedly contemporary. The latter, which also incorporates a store, is a later addition. It is of rendered concrete block construction and accessed via an enlarged window from room 1.1.

Unit F2

This unit abuts the east wall of unit F1 at its north end. It is probably contemporary with unit F1, i.e. dating to 1920. It is sub-divided into two sections by a gabled wall which projects above the roof line. The building has a hipped natural slate roof, sarked over metal trusses. The north and east walls are of sandstone blocks irregularly laid in cement. There is no wall along the south elevation, the roof trusses resting on metal columns. The space between these columns is open in room F2.1, and infilled with large slatted wooden doors in room F2.2. The internal party wall is of red brick with a purple engineering brick edging along its south end. The window openings along the north facade have concrete heads and cills, and yellow-brick jambs. Those of F2.1 are infilled externally with concrete blocks, and the remainder are louvered (but infilled on the inside). There was formerly also a door on the north wall of F2.2, with an engineering brick surround as F1; this, too, has been infilled. Room F2.1 (at west) is now a dispatch area, and F2.2 houses a tow bailer. Both have concrete floors and painted unrendered walls.

Unit F3

A modern addition in the angle between units 1 and 2. A monopitched steel-framed unit clad in profiled metal with a large roller shutter door on its east face, it houses the dispatch area.

Unit F4

A modern addition to the south gable of unit F1, of similar construction to F3.

Block G (Gates and Gate House)

The site is bounded along the street by a sandstone wall. Just east of the main spinning mill (block C), the wall turns in to form the canted screen of the main entrance (G1). The vehicle entrance, at centre, comprises an elliptical arch in ashlar sandstone over finely dressed and imposted abutments. It contains a pair of large painted timber doors (with strap hinges). On its right jamb is a polished brass nameplate reading "John Andrews & Co Limited". On the screen to the left is a small semicircular headed blind opening, with post and block ashlar jambs, a moulded impost and keystoned head. This recess is faced on the outside with a painted timber door to balance the identical entrance at right which leads into the gate house (G2). The top of the screen has crenellated ashlar coping stones and steps up over the middle arch.

The gate house at right is single storied and of irregular hexagonal plan. It has a crenellated parapet around a flat concrete roof. There is a chimney on its back wall. Its walls are of irregularly laid finely dressed blockwork. On its north-west cant a door (with sandstone lintel) leads out into the yard. It is lit by a single two-over-two sliding sash window on its east wall. This has a chamfered yellow-brick surround and sandstone cill.

Miscellaneous Features

In a yard between units F2.2 and C1.3 is a jib crane. It is manually operated by a handle on each side (a two-step spur gearing links with the winding drum) and can rotate about its base. It is of all metal construction (mostly cast iron) except for its wooden jib. Its base is inscribed "MacAdam Brothers & Co. Soho Foundry Belfast".