Near 3 Ballooleymore Rd, Katesbridge, Banbridge, Co Down, BT32 5QB

This is a derelict early 19th century water-powered grain mill complex consisting of a two-storey, two-bay mill building and a detached mid-19th century kiln, both constructed in random rubble masonry. The complex sits at the bottom of a steep south-facing slope in the townland of Balloolymore, with a public road running along the south side of the mill and fields to all sides. Although the site retains industrial archaeological interest — notably the surviving waterwheel and vestiges of shafting and gearing — its ruinous condition means it is not considered to be of special architectural or historical merit. The roofs of all structures are missing and there are no rainwater goods to any building.

The mill and kiln show noticeably different stonework compositions, reflecting development across at least two phases. The infilled openings on the mill's façade point to a refurbishment, probably carried out in the mid-1800s.

The Mill

The mill is a two-storey, two-bay building aligned east to west along the north side of the public road. Its walls are of random rubble blackstone with a relatively high proportion of rounded fieldstones mixed in alongside quarried stone, roughly dressed quoins (mostly granite, with some blackstone), and a brick eaves course. The roof is missing but was formerly pitched and slated.

The principal (south) elevation faces directly onto the road. At its left end it is abutted by a two-storey annex. To the right of the annex is a doorway with a three-centred brick arch head, opening into the west bay. Next to this is a small square-headed window lighting the east bay; the cement-rich mortar around it suggests it is a later insertion. Further right is a brick-trimmed, segmental-headed doorway also into the east bay. At the right-hand end of this elevation is a stone-infilled doorway with a three-centred brick head. At first floor level there are two windows to the east bay, both with segmental brick heads, both infilled with rubble masonry.

The west gable carries an external overshot waterwheel measuring 14 feet in diameter by 4 feet wide. It is of cast iron throughout, except for its 36 buckets and its soleplate, both of which were originally of timber and have long since decayed. No traces of the headrace survive. The tailrace is partly infilled and culverted under the road, returning to the stream that originally supplied the headrace. Above the wheel is a segmental brick-headed window opening at first floor level. Comparison with the wheel dimensions recorded in the 1835 Valuation confirms that the present wheel is a later replacement, probably installed when the premises were upgraded in the mid-1800s.

The north elevation is partly cut into the hillside, so that the first floor of the west bay is accessible at outside ground level through a doorway with brick jambs and a missing head. There is also a ground floor doorway to the east bay, with a flat timber head and brick jambs, and directly above it a first floor window with brick jambs but a missing head.

The east gable has a small window towards the right-hand end of the ground floor, with a flat stone head. Just left of centre, three very large granite blocks are set flush into the wall one above the other; whether these were simply used as wall fill or served some other purpose is not certain. At first floor level are two segmental brick-arched windows, both infilled with rubble. There is also a small window in the apex of the gable with a flat stone head.

The Mill Annex

A small two-storey, single-bay building is attached to the left end of the mill's south elevation. The wall breaks between it and the mill confirm it is a later addition. Its monopitched roof is now missing but was formerly slated. The walls are of random rubble with granite and brick quoins. All openings have flat granite heads and brick jambs. There is a stone-infilled window on the south elevation and a window at first floor level on the west gable. The east gable has a doorway at each floor level. A concrete plinth inside the annex, along with associated gearing, is probably connected with a grain crusher and is likely of 20th century date.

The Kiln

The kiln is a three-stage, single-bay structure aligned north to south, situated just north of the mill and slightly higher up the slope. Its roof is missing but was formerly of pitched profile. The walls are of random rubble with roughly dressed quoins, and in contrast to the mill they contain a high proportion of tabular Silurian stone. All openings have flat granite lintels, and the windows have brick jambs with thin stone sills. The apex of the south elevation has collapsed and no openings survive in what remains of it. On the west elevation there is a ground floor doorway and a window to the top stage. On the north elevation a doorway leads through to a small single-storey, single-bay abutting room, of which only vestiges now survive. On the east elevation there is a ground floor doorway and two windows to the top stage.

Historical Background

The complex is marked as "flour and corn mills" on the 1833 Ordnance Survey six-inch map. The 1835 Valuation records the owner as Samuel Russell and describes the building as a "corn mill and flour mill" measuring 43½ feet long by 20 feet deep by 18 feet high, with the kiln measuring 40 feet by 19½ feet by 12 feet. The Valuation also noted that the "wheels [are] not very good; large wheels and great fall." The use of the plural "wheels" and the citation of both a corn mill and a flour mill together suggest that the milling of oats (into oatmeal) and wheat (into flour) were each powered by a separate waterwheel, both under the one roof. However, the Ordnance Survey Memoir for the townland refers only to a single corn mill with two pairs of stones powered by a 13-foot by 2-foot-6-inch diameter overshot waterwheel, with machinery of wood and iron.

The 1859 Ordnance Survey map again captions the complex as "flour and corn mills." The 1861 Valuation records Samuel Russell still in operation, describing the flour and corn mill as 14 yards by 7 yards by 1 storey and the kiln as 12 yards by 6 yards by 1 storey (though both were almost certainly two storeys in reality). At that time the mill contained two pairs of stones powered by an overshot wheel that had water for approximately eight months of the year.

The Valuation revision books record James Russell taking over around 1874. The complex is named "Balloolymore Mill (corn)" on both the 1903 and 1918 Ordnance Survey maps. Andrew G. Russell succeeded James in 1922, followed by Samuel Porter in 1924, by which time the mill was operating only occasionally. By 1928 the Valuation book records the premises as "rather dilapidated; used occasionally as stores; water power used very seldom for crushing oats only," and the rateable valuation was consequently reduced from £12 to £5. The 1928 dimensions give the mill as 43 feet by 20 feet by 17 feet, the south elevation annex as 18 feet by 13 feet by 14 feet, and the kiln as 36 feet by 20 feet by 20 feet. Comparison with the 1859 figures confirms the mill and kiln were unchanged but that the annex had been added in the intervening period. The mill had probably ceased working entirely by 1935, as it does not appear in the Valuation book of that date.

Analysis of the Valuation records and map evidence suggests the existing mill was already standing in the 1830s and probably dates from the later 18th century or early 19th century. The kiln was built in its present position sometime between 1835 and 1859.