Edenderry Mill, Edenderry Industrial Estate, 326 Crumlin Road, Belfast BT14 7EE

Note: During the listing process, planning permission Z/2007/2626/F was consented and works partially completed. This description refers to the building prior to those alterations.

A large rectangular five-storey red brick building, formerly a linen mill but now the nucleus of an industrial estate, with lower two and three-storey blocks and a tall octagonal chimney connected to the south end. Modern telephone antennae are mounted on all four corners of the mill and on the toilet projection on the east side. The main elevation faces east, where the original entrance hall—a covered way between the main mill and a lower block to the south—is now partly unroofed.

Main Mill Block

East Elevation

The mill is five storeys high and 27 windows wide. A later two-storey flat-roofed block (the former engine room) projects forward at the first four bays from the left. A later five-storey flat-roofed extension comprising toilet accommodation, one window wide, projects forward at the 16th bay from the left. The roof is hipped behind a parapet, with covering not known.

The walls are red brick with a moulded sandstone plinth, painted projecting brick frieze with moulded sandstone cornice at each floor level, and a large projecting moulded sandstone cornice to the top storey carried on two courses of yellow angled brick corbels. At the right-hand extremity the wall breaks forward slightly to form an end pier containing narrow ventilation openings at upper levels; at ground floor level this pier is rendered with a dry dash finish.

A modern steel stairway is attached to the right-hand end, rising to a later doorway in the first floor at the end bay. Above this later doorway is a later projecting ventilation unit occupying a complete window. Windows are large rectangular timber fixed lights divided by a transom and mullion, surmounted by two-pane top-hung vents—the original arrangement—set in segmental brick arched openings with plain reveals. Cills are formed by moulded plinth and string courses. A number of ground floor windows on the east elevation are blocked up on the inside with concrete blockwork. On the fourth floor, the first four windows at the south end have been later blocked with glass bricks. On the third floor, the fourth window opening from the end has had a doorway inserted, leading onto the flat roof of the projecting block below.

The five-storey toilet projection has similar walling to the main block. The ground floor window is now blocked up with brickwork and contains a small rectangular timber window. Windows in the storeys above are as previous to the main block but incorporate more opening vents. Side walls of the projection are blank, containing only modern metal ventilator grilles. On the north side of the toilet projection is a later single-storey flat-roofed addition in plain red brick containing modern rectangular timber and metal windows with projecting concrete cills; cast iron rainwater goods.

The first ground floor window to the left of the toilet projection has been later blocked with concrete blockwork and contains a modern steel door. The second and third ground floor bays to the left of the toilet projection have been later opened up to form a large rectangular doorway containing a steel roller door with projecting metal pelmet. The sixth bay to the left of that contains a later ground floor doorway formed from an enlarged window opening: modern rectangular steel door and side panel.

South Elevation

Five storeys high with parapet roof, four window openings wide. Walling is as previous to the east elevation. Windows are generally as previous to the east elevation, except the second bay from left on the upper three floors is bricked up in recessed reveals; two windows to the third floor are blocked with glazed bricks. The ground floor window to the left has had a steel grille inserted.

The main feature is a large semi-circular arched window and door opening occupying two storeys at ground floor, approached by twin flights of sandstone steps leading to a short podium. The railings to the steps are now missing. The three-bay doorscreen comprises square timber piers containing a doorway to the left, but with the other two openings closed up with concrete blockwork. The doorway comprises one arched and panelled original timber door with a modern flush door. Above the frieze is a large four-light semi-circular arched window, set in a moulded painted sandstone or rendered surround rising from the first floor frieze and cornice. Tracery consists of five circular timber colonnettes with floriated capitals, semi-circular arch and three circular tracery lights, all in roll-moulded timber.

Between the two left-hand window bays is a five-storey high later projecting corrugated iron hoist. Projecting from the elevation at high level, angled down to the roof of the former boiler house standing apart to the south, is a cylindrical pipe—an original feature. Extending to the left at first floor level is a high-level link block to the sheds at the west, comprising a plain modern red brick gable with PVC downpipes.

West Elevation

Five storeys high and of similar character to the east elevation, with a later link block at the south end projecting at first floor level connecting to a large shed block to the west, and an overhead duct projecting from the northern extremity connecting with the shed block to the west. Ends of the elevation break forward to form shallow piers. The ground floor wall at the left-hand extremity has had the pier later rendered with a dry dash of white limestone chippings.

Windows are as previous to the east elevation, but those on the ground floor to the left of the link block have been bricked up. The last two windows to the right within the alleyway have had steel grilles inserted. The first window opening from the left within the alleyway has been truncated at top and contains a rectangular timber four-pane fixed light. The second opening from the left within the alleyway contains the main entrance to the main stairway of the mill: a rectangular doorway with door missing, surmounted by an arched two-pane fanlight, unglazed. The jambs of the doorway at bottom have original cast iron protectors. Ground floor walling within the alleyway below the link has been later painted over.

The north side of the first floor link block comprises a plain modern red brick gable with asbestos downpipes. The alleyway below the link has a flat ceiling carried on steel girders.

North Elevation

Five storeys high with parapet roof, four windows wide. Walling is as previous to the east elevation, except the entire ground floor is rendered with a dry dash, and end piers of the elevation are plain without ventilator slits. The ground floor contains one opening only, a rectangular doorway containing a smaller rectangular flush steel fire door. Windows in floors above are as previous, except the one to the extreme left on the second floor is obscured by a later large ventilation unit attached.

New Engine House

The new engine house projects from the left-hand extremity of the east façade of the mill.

East Elevation

Two storeys high, containing two large semi-circular arched window openings, now partly blocked with brickwork to contain two windows each. Walling is red brick with a moulded sandstone plinth and a painted projecting brick frieze with moulded sandstone cornice and brick blocking course. A projecting moulded sandstone string course, painted, arches over the two window recesses with projecting keystones. First floor windows are semi-circular arched, timber four-light fixed panes with lower opening vents. Ground floor windows are large rectangular timber fixed four-light, with transom and mullions.

North Elevation

Similar character to the east, containing one large semi-circular arched opening which has been later partly blocked with brick to form a large modern timber ground floor doorscreen and an arched first floor window as previous. The doorscreen contains a pair of modern aluminium double doors leading onto a short concrete podium approached by a ramp and steps.

South Elevation

Visible within the covered alleyway, the walling is brickwork with moulded stone plinth painted over. It contains a large timber doorcase comprising a pair of fluted pilasters ornamented with laurel wreaths, carrying a shallow pediment dated 1908. The doorway contains a pair of panelled double doors, flanked by side panels and surmounted by blind fanlights, approached by a flight of stone or composition steps with a curved podium or plinth to each side formed of smooth rendered brickwork.

Two and Three-Storey Block to South of Mill

This consists of the original three-storey boiler house with later two-storey extensions built over its east and south faces.

East Elevation

Two storeys high with parapet roof, 14 windows wide to the first floor. Walling is red brick with moulded sandstone plinth and painted brickwork projecting frieze and moulded sandstone cornice to each storey, with a painted brick blocking course to the parapet. The wall breaks forward at each extremity to form slightly projecting end bays, each three windows wide to the first floor. First floor windows are as previous to the main mill block.

Ground floor openings are as follows: the end bay to the left contains two ground floor windows, semi-circular arched with arched roll-moulded timber tracery, later altered to contain small rectangular opening vents, set in plain reveals recessed in rounded reveals with a battered face to the brickwork below. The main wall contains a series of plain semi-circular blind brick arched recesses which have been later painted to represent traceried windows, with small ocular ventilator openings in the spandrels between. The fifth opening from the left has been enlarged to form a large rectangular doorway containing a steel shutter with steel girder over. The end bay to the right has the ground floor opened up to form a rectangular entrance to the alleyway.

Within the alleyway, the wall to the right is of vertical tongued and grooved boarding containing rectangular timber windows and a modern glazed hardwood door leading to a stairway. The wall to the left within the alleyway contains an open timber stairway at the left-hand extremity with a modern hoist shaft beside it. To the right of that is brick walling containing rectangular timber sliding doors, all disfigured by PVC downpipes. The ceiling of the alleyway is of modern chipboard panels fitted around exposed steel girders. Set in the ground surface just inside the entry is a large weighbridge in patterned cast iron inscribed 'Avery, Birmingham, England'.

At the time of the first survey in 1986, the alleyway beyond to the west and returning at the rear to the north and south was covered over with a glazed roof, but this has been dismantled and removed.

North Elevation

The north elevation of the end of the block to the south, projecting forward from the former engine house, is two windows wide to each floor. Windows are glazed as previous, but the ground floor is partly obscured by a later low single-storey addition in red brick without moulded plinth, with flat roof and two windows glazed as previous. Projecting from the low single-storey addition is a short run of original iron railings on a low original plinth wall with one curving ornamented cast iron stay, linked to a free-standing plain red brick substation which stands in front of the new engine house of 1908.

South Elevation

Consists of the two-storey extension along the south side of the original boiler house, with walling of smooth cement render, and the red brick end wall of the sheds to the west extending to the left. The roof of the south extension is of Bangor blue slates in regular courses, with moulded PVC gutter and downpipes. Walls are smooth cement rendered, lined and blocked, with a projecting rendered eaves course for most of the block and a short rendered parapet to the right-hand end.

Windows to the first floor are rectangular timber fixed lights with transom and mullion, surmounted by top vents, set in segmental headed openings. The two windows to the left-hand extremity are filled with glazed bricks. The next openings to the right are blind recesses in front of the octagonal chimney which projects through the roof above. The third window opening from the right has been enlarged to form a rectangular doorway containing a pair of glazed timber doors.

The ground floor is partly obscured by a central projecting lean-to block built of red brick, partly rendered, with corrugated asbestos roofing, flush timber doors and a blocked-up window; PVC gutter. In the wall above the lean-to projection are four ocular ventilators. In the wall to the left of the lean-to projection is a later steel stairway leading to a first floor doorway.

The main ground floor contains three large rectangular openings—the two to the right-hand end containing steel shutter doors, and the one to the left-hand end now without a door and lying open. This leads to a covered area between the tall octagonal chimney, the original boiler house and the sheds to the west. The ceiling is formed by brick jack arches. The ground surface between chimney and boiler house is of stone slabs; ground surface between chimney and sheds to the west is of screed, leading on through an ornamented cast iron truss at the rear of the covered area to an alleyway beyond running north between boiler house and sheds to the west. The alleyway was formerly covered over at the time of the first survey in 1986 but is now unroofed.

Chimney

The tall octagonal chimney is of brickwork with battered profile, standing on a battered and moulded sandstone plinth. It is now located inside the covered area with the main shaft projecting up through the roof. There is a full height meandering crack in the south face of the chimney. Iron banding is at intervals up the chimney, with brick corbel courses at the top.

South Elevation of Boiler House

Within the covered area, the ground floor of the south wall of the boiler house is visible: painted brickwork with three windows bricked up and one new doorway containing a modern steel plated door.

West Elevation of Boiler House

Facing into the alleyway, this is three storeys high, of red brick overprinted to the ground floor, with two courses of yellow brick corbels to the top. Moulded cast iron gutter with cast iron and PVC downpipes. Windows are segmental arched; however, all but one to the upper floors are boarded up and all on the ground floor are walled up. A later corrugated iron projection is attached at first floor level, supported on steel stanchions.

North Elevation of Boiler House

Facing the main mill, this is three storeys high, three windows wide, of similar walling to the west side. Windows are blocked up as previous, but the central one on the second floor is original: timber sliding sash, vertically hung, two over two with horns. Moulded cast iron gutter with cast iron and PVC downpipes.

Sheds and Stores to West

These consist of two main groups: a series of repetitive units with regular north-light roofs immediately to the west of the main mill block, and a group of conjoined blocks of various sizes standing to the west of the boiler house.

East Elevation

The former group have a modern façade to the east side, of new red brick with metal cladding above, rectangular openings containing steel roller doors and modern windows, with pitched roofs of Bangor blue slates and north lights. The latter group have walls of older red brick and hipped roofs of corrugated asbestos; the main feature contains an original semi-circular archway and a later rectangular opening.

South Elevation

The south elevation of the shed and store blocks is of plain red brick with later small rectangular windows created in larger partly bricked-up openings; PVC rainwater goods.

Setting

The mill stands within the built-up area of the city, occupying a corner site between two roads but set back a distance from both. It stands end-on to the main road with its main east façade overlooking an access road and car parking areas to the east. The west façade overlooks an alleyway between it and lower sheds to the west. The main mill is surrounded by tarmac areas.

Standing detached to the east at the south end is a block of single-storey buildings of 20th-century date, of red brick with north lights roofed in corrugated asbestos. Poor quality detached sheds stand to the south of the boiler house block.

The site is entered by a modern steel railing and gateway from Crumlin Road, set between two original brick piers. The piers are square, of red brick with projecting rendered string course and weathered rendered caps. The boundary to Crumlin Road is formed on the east side of the gateway by original basalt rubble walling, and on the west side of the gateway by modern steel railings standing on a low cement rendered plinth and terminating at the west end in a now-shortened original blind semi-circular arcaded red brick wall containing ocular ventilators in alternate arches, with a battered profile to the base of the recessed panels; blocked-up north-lighting projects up behind the wall.

The boundary to Cambrai Street to the west is formed by the red brick rear walling of the shed blocks—single-storey at the north end, partly semi-circular blind arcaded and partly flush with regularly spaced ocular ventilators in yellow brick surrounds, and later small rectangular doorways created; rising to a two-storey fenestrated block with hipped asbestos slated roofs and rectangular timber windows above segmental headed blocked-up windows, and then stepping down to plain single-storey height red brick walling containing a large later rectangular opening with roller steel door. South and east boundaries are largely formed by fencing.

Standing to the east immediately inside the main gateway is a one-and-a-half storey gate lodge in red brick with half-hipped red tiled roofs, painted stone block dressings to the doorway which is surmounted by a small canopy on shaped timber brackets, but all windows now modern replacements not to the original pattern.