Owen O'Cork Mill, 288 Beersbridge Road, Belfast, Co Down, BT5 5DX

Owen O'Cork Mill is a large flax mill complex on the north-west side of Beersbridge Road, near the intersection with Bloomfield Drive, Belfast. The complex comprises brick-built structures ranging from one to four storeys, largely dating from around 1850 but with substantial extensions from the later 19th and early 20th centuries.

The Mill

The main mill building lies roughly in the centre of the complex. It is a long structure, over 90 metres in length, of four storeys with a partly gabled, partly flat roof. The building was constructed in phases: the eastern half and the lower two storeys of the western half date from between 1835 and 1853, probably 1850. The short, slightly projecting central section, which originally housed the engine, dates from the same period but was raised by an additional storey in 1911. The upper two storeys of the western half also probably date from 1911.

The mill has a plain, functional appearance, lacking the decorative features or architectural flair seen in other mid-19th century mills such as Herdmans' at Sion Mills, Andrews' at Comber, or Jennymount in North Belfast. The brick façade is largely uniform, broken only by painted in-and-out stone quoins, a painted parapet, and the full-height square projecting bay of the engine section at the centre of both the north and south elevations. Subtle changes in brick tone mark the earlier and later parts of the building. Each floor generally has 35 windows, all regularly arranged. The ground floor to the north is punctuated with various pedestrian and vehicle doorways, not all original, whilst the south ground floor has far fewer doorways. The doorways contain a mixture of functional doors—some partly glazed, others plain metal or timber sheeted—with roller shutters or metal doors to the vehicle openings.

All windows are tall flat-arched examples with timber eight-light or three-light frames, probably early to mid-20th century replacements. The only exceptions are the windows to the first and second floors of the engine bay on both north and south sides, which are much broader with twelve-light frames. Various signboards relating to businesses housed within are fixed to the ground floor of the north elevation. Just to the left of the engine bay on the north side, a corrugated asbestos-clad link extends from first floor level to a large freestanding three-storey building, the former engine house. Immediately to the right of the same bay, the façade rises through parapet level to form a small castellated tower. Just below the tower, and below parapet level, is a painted date panel of 1911. Near the right-hand end of the north elevation is a recent fire escape stair.

On the south elevation, most of the ground floor window openings to the left are now covered with corrugated iron sheets. To the right on the ground floor are two single-storey flat-roofed links stretching to a relatively large double-pile single-storey building further south.

The short east elevation of the mill appears to be gabled. It has a large, central, full-height projecting curved stairwell lit on the north and south sides by a large square multi-pane window at each half-landing level. This projection appears to be flat-roofed. Immediately to the left (south) of the stairwell is a later (probably around 1911) square full-height projection containing toilets, with a two-light window to each level on the south side and an apparently flat roof.

The short west elevation has a central square full-height toilet projection, similar to that on the east and undoubtedly dating from the same time, but with two windows to each level on the south side and a single window to the top two floors on the north side. To the right of this projection on the main building is a single window to each level.

Although the east elevation appears to be gabled, the roof of this section and the whole mill appears to be flat, though this could not be confirmed. Documentary evidence indicates that the earlier eastern part of the mill did originally have a gabled roof. Mobile telephone mast equipment has been attached to the central eastern and western ends of the roof.

The Engine House

The engine house lies just to the north of the central point of the mill. It is entirely brick-built, three storeys high, with a partly gabled, partly hipped slated roof. The building's date is uncertain: whilst an 'engine house and drying loft' is shown on this site on the valuation plan of 1860, it is recorded as being two-storey. A similar building appears on the 1871 plan, but the chimney is shown to the west rather than to the east as it is today. The brickwork suggests the building probably dates from 1873-4, but the single-storey flat-roofed projection to the front and the chimneystack were added after 1902.

The ground floor of the east elevation is largely occupied by a relatively tall single-storey flat-roofed projection. The east face of this has four large semicircular-headed openings with painted stone voussoirs and a painted course at springing level. Three openings are filled with recent glazing, the remaining one largely filled with a recent glazed door. All have roller shutters attached. Above the openings on the left side, raised plastic lettering spells out the name of a business. At its north end this projection abuts a tall, battered, octagonal brick-built chimneystack.

The first floor of the east elevation of the main building has five evenly spaced squarish segmental-headed windows with sash frames with Georgian panes. The second floor has five similar but shorter windows. The north-facing gable has a plain metal-sheeted door to the left on the first floor, accessed by a metal stair. On the ground floor to the left of this are two relatively small windows covered with security grills and a doorway to the right with a louvred door.

The ground floor level of the west elevation appears to have been originally open, with the header of the opening supported on cast-iron columns. The opening is now largely bricked up, however, with a large vehicle doorway (with roller shutter) to the right of centre. The cast-iron columns are still visible. The first and second floors have windows corresponding to those on the east elevation. At the first floor of the south elevation extends a corrugated asbestos-clad link, which extends to the mill. To the far right on the single-storey section are two arched recesses, similar to the windows to the front but filled in with brick.

Office and Stores

To the east/north-east side of the complex, facing onto Beersbridge Road, is a long, plain two-storey flat-roofed building, built in 1873-74 as a flax store and offices. The front elevation faces east. The ground floor has twelve openings: ten tall segmental-headed windows and two doorways. The first four windows to the left have Georgian-paned sash frames; the rest have later eight-light frames similar to those on the mill. The doorways lie between the third and fourth and fifth and sixth windows. The left door is narrower and has a tall segmental-headed fanlight, whilst the broader doorway to the left has a double door with roller shutter and timber signboard over. The first floor has twelve blind windows. Painted in-and-out quoins are at the right-hand (north) edge of the front elevation. At the left-hand edge is a small section of sandstone walling, possibly a remnant of an earlier building on this site. Directly above this walling is a large cast-iron date panel reading '1873'.

The short south elevation is largely in red brick as the front, but with a large section of the first floor in recent concrete brick. The ground floor has two windows to the left as on the ground floor front left. To the right of these windows a modern metal gate has been attached. To the right again, a number of small laminated signboards have been attached.

The short north elevation has a blind window on the ground floor, which may have originally been open. Two windows on the first floor are as the front but with early 20th-century multi-pane frames. In-and-out quoins are at the left-hand edge.

On the left-hand side of the rear elevation is a relatively recent-looking single-storey lean-to extension with a roughcast façade and corrugated iron roof. To the west this extension abuts a long single-storey building. Immediately to the right of the lean-to is a doorway with a double door and large area of metal sheeting above; this opening may once have been a window. To the right are five windows and a smaller doorway. The windows are as the front but with slightly varying Georgian-paned sash windows. The doorway has a large signboard over. The first floor has eleven windows and a doorway at the centre. The windows have early to mid-20th century timber frames. The glazing in some windows has been obscured with paint or plastic. The central doorway has a timber-sheeted door with a large multi-pane fanlight.

Stores

To the north side of the complex is a long single-storey gabled building in brick with a corrugated asbestos roof. At the west end the roof is slightly higher, and the high and lower levels of the roof are separated by a crow-step gable. The long south elevation has a series of largely uniform flat-arched windows to the right and centre, interspersed with various doorways including a large vehicle one. On the left-hand side are two more large flat-arched vehicle doorways, some narrower windows, and some blind windows. The windows have a mixture of frames, most of them Georgian-paned types probably dating from the early 1900s. All windows are covered with security grills. A small section of façade on the right-hand side is finished in roughcast. A stone header course runs across much of this elevation, which is also interspersed with laminated signboards of various sizes.

The west gable is blank and has a crow-step parapet. The east gable abuts the lean-to of the office and store block and has a rendered parapet. The rear elevation could not be seen in its entirety. On the left-hand side is a series of blind windows; there may be similar features on the right-hand side.

Store to South of Mill

Immediately to the south of the mill is a large single-storey gabled building in brick, dating from some time after 1902, possibly 1911. It is plain and functional and is linked to the mill by two narrow flat-roofed corridors on its north side. The building is now entered from the east gable where, to the left, is a recessed PVC glazed door screen. Above this is a large plastic signboard, and to the right a large window opening has been blocked up and rendered over.

The long south elevation has a uniform series of large segmental-headed window openings, now all covered over with corrugated iron. Two doorways on the right-hand side have been blocked up in breeze block. The west gable has a large flat-arched (loading bay) doorway with a roller shutter, which is not original. To the left a large window has been blocked up much as on the east gable. The north elevation could not be seen, nor could the roof covering. To the south/south-west of this building is a large, recently constructed corrugated iron-clad single-storey gabled building.

Building to South-East

To the south-east of the mill, and fronting onto Beersbridge Road, is a relatively large, plain gabled building in brick with a partly slated, partly corrugated asbestos roof. At the far left on the front (east) elevation is a recessed doorway with a recent door. At the far right is another doorway with a plain metal-sheeted door. Between these are five broad windows set at a relatively high level, separated by pilaster-like brick piers, all with recent awnings over. A very large plastic signboard spans the whole length of the elevation above window and door level.

The south gable could not be seen in its entirety but appears to be abutted by a shed belonging to a house further to the south and appears to be devoid of openings. The gable to the north has had all its openings—three windows and a doorway—blocked up in a mixture of breeze block and red brick.

The rear elevation could not be seen in its entirety, but to the left (north) it has a relatively large flat-roofed brick projection with two smaller flat-roofed projections further to the left. All of the openings visible were blocked in a mixture of brick and breeze block, with one opening covered in metal sheeting. A small section of the roof at the north end is covered in corrugated asbestos, separated from the rest of the slated roof by a brick parapet with rendered coping.

Small Shed to East

Immediately to the east of the mill, and backing onto Beersbridge Road, is a relatively small single-storey gabled building largely in brick. The building, which appears to have been originally used as a shed and now appears to be a store, is entered from a recessed plain-sheeted double door to the left on the west elevation. The rest of this elevation does not appear to have any openings. On the right-hand side the elevation is abutted by the mill's square toilet projection. The exposed part of the elevation appears to be wholly in brick.

The north gable is in plain render and has no openings but is partly covered in various plastic or laminated signboards. The modern entrance gate is attached to this gable. On the right on the south gable is a doorway much as the west elevation. The lower half of this gable is in random rubble, the rest in brick. Most of the east elevation is in random rubble, with a small upper portion in brick. Much of this upper portion is covered by two long laminated signboards. The gabled roof is slated. To the west is a small skylight. To the east are two rectangular areas covered in what looks like felt; these may once have been skylights.

Yards and Other Buildings

The yard to the north of the mill, with the engine house to the south and former stores to the east and north sides, is covered in tarmac and concrete and is now largely used as a car park. At the west end of this area is a large, recently constructed gabled warehouse in concrete block and corrugated metal sheeting. To the south/south-west of the mill the open ground is now largely overgrown and used as a dump. To the south-east of this is another recently constructed gabled warehouse building in corrugated metal sheeting.