Standard Mill, Clarkehill Road, Annsborough, Castlewellan, BT31 9BN

Standard Mill is a large former linen spinning mill complex situated at the base of a hill approximately 280 metres west of the former mill village of Annsborough. Its largest and most significant structures date from the later 1830s, making it one of the earliest surviving large-scale industrial complexes in Northern Ireland, predating buildings at similarly-sized enterprises at Belfast, Sion Mills, Carrickfergus and Comber. It was developed by the Murland family on the site of their earlier bleachworks, and the complex continued to grow substantially through the 1840s, 1850s and 1860s. The mill ceased operation in 1930, and since then parts of the complex have been converted to farm and commercial use, while others have fallen into dereliction. The buildings are now split between a number of uses including a furniture store and a warehouse for dry foodstuffs.

The complex sits within a historically rich industrial landscape. To the south-east lies an earlier mill of the 1820s, and to the south-west a bleachworks of the 1860s. Immediately to the south of the main mill complex is the original late-Georgian mill-owner's residence of around 1800, which has been separately listed. To the west is the site of the former mill pond, now largely a mud flat following a recent embankment subsidence, and to the south-west is a large modern housing development.

The complex is extensive and sprawling, arranged around a long, relatively narrow central yard enclosed by gates at the northern and southern ends. The following description covers each building or section in turn, corresponding to letters used on the site plan.

Building A

The original mill-owner's house, surveyed separately under a different reference.

Building B

A long, low, two-storey range of outbuildings dating from around the 1840s, with rubble walls, brick-dressed openings and a gabled slated roof. Many openings have been altered in the mid to later 20th century, and several have been converted to flat-arched vehicle entrances.

Building C

This large two-storey building of 1862 to 1864 is constructed of random rubble and has a hipped roof. It was formerly associated with the mill but is now in use as a furniture store. The building sits on sloping ground, with a retaining wall close to the western façade forming a sunken external area. To the rear there is a large lean-to addition of the later 20th century, and to the west a bridge structure gives access from the raised ground directly to the first floor. This bridge is covered by a corrugated-iron structure with a segmental roof supported on decorative cast-iron columns with pierced flanges, and the whole ensemble rests on a half-arched, flying-buttress-like bridge structure.

The building is entered from the south end, where there is an enlarged modern door opening with paired glazed panelled doors, glazed sidelights and a plain fanlight, protected by modern steel security doors and sheltered by a recent projecting slated canopy. Segmental-headed window openings are positioned on either side of this entrance, and at first floor there are three evenly spaced windows. The west façade has the bridge access to the first floor and, to the left, four window openings, an advancing bay containing a stairwell, and a further three window openings. The original window openings at the north end have been entirely obscured by the later lean-to addition. The east façade has a double-height steel roller shutter door protecting a standard-height steel door. The main façade carries fourteen first-floor windows, and at ground floor twelve windows and two doors, arranged from right to left as: three windows, one door, four windows, one door, five windows. The first door opening is standard width and the second, to the left, is double width.

All window openings are segmental-headed with straw-coloured brick dressings and cut stone sills. Ground floor openings are protected with steel shutters or have been bricked up, though some original two-over-two timber sash frames survive. Metal grilles have been added at first floor. The one surviving original door opening on the east side retains similar brick surrounds and has a panelled timber door with fielded panels and a plain fanlight, with an external steel security door added. Some door openings have been bricked up.

The roof is hipped and slated, with ridges protected by galvanised steel flashings, and eaves without overhangs resting on a corbelled straw-coloured brick course. Rainwater goods appear to be cast iron. A chimneystack is set at each end of the ridge; both are built in straw-coloured brick with corbelled bases and decorative corbelled caps, though all pots are missing. Walls are built of random rubble Greywacke with dressed granite quoins at the corners.

Building D

A plain, post-1920 single-storey rendered building with a corrugated asbestos-type roof. Its original function is uncertain.

Building E

Lying at the heart of the complex, this is a long interconnected range of buildings constructed largely between around 1834 and 1864. It has been divided into four sections for ease of description.

E1

At the southern end, this section consists of the remains of a largely demolished rubble building of around the 1860s to 1870s, converted into an industrial-style shed at some point in the mid 20th century by the addition of a corrugated-metal structure with a corrugated asbestos gabled roof.

E2

This is one of the original mill buildings of the later 1830s: a long, part two-storey, part three-storey, hipped-roof range built of random rubble. To its eastern side is a full-length two-storey flat-roofed rubble addition of 1862 to 1864. The original building has a degree of architectural ambition unusual within the complex, with a large pediment centred on its eastern side incorporating an oculus-like motif and a brick parapet. The western side is more utilitarian, and has seen the addition of several early 20th century full-height brick and rendered toilet projections, a brick stairwell projection of similar date near the northern end, and a mid 20th century steel fire-escape stair at the opposite end.

The 1862 to 1864 addition shares a similar general appearance with block C. Because of the fall in ground levels, the first floor of the addition is level with the ground floor of the main building. At the lower ground floor of the addition is a series of what appear to be stables, each with a door and a window. Window openings throughout both sections are flat-headed, though many have been boarded over or bricked up. Those in the original section have stone lintels, while those in the addition have flat brick arched lintels as in block C. Some timber window frames survive, with top openers and multiple Georgian-pane glazing. At first floor in the addition, windows have been boarded over and faux window frames are painted on the boarding.

Door openings are of two main types: timber-sheeted stable doors on the east side, and double vehicle doors facing into the enclosed yard, also faced with timber sheeting, some of which are sliding doors. At first floor on the western side there are loading bay doors, some single and some double. Some door openings have been bricked up. The roof of the original section is slated and has several large roof lights, mainly on the eastern side. Rainwater goods appear to have been cast iron, though large sections are now missing.

E3

At the northern end of block E and dating from the 1840s to 1850s, this section has been much altered in more recent years. It consists of a two-storey hipped-roof section at the north-eastern corner and, to the south and east of this, a large single-storey section with a double-gabled roof. The single-storey section is largely built of concrete blockwork but rises off the original rubble-stone wall. Some blocked-up openings in the southern wall are similar to those in block C and the addition to E2, suggesting this part of the building may date in part from 1862 to 1864. The north-eastern portion is in use as offices and the remainder as a warehouse for dry foodstuffs. The northern wall is rendered; the east and south walls are of random rubble raised with concrete blockwork. The hipped-roof section is covered with natural slate and the remainder with industrial metal sheeting. Window openings are limited to the first floor of the northern façade, where they are flat-headed and small, fitted with steel security shutters. All door openings are flat-headed and have been crudely altered, with steel-faced doors throughout. Rainwater goods are partly missing and partly uPVC. The present owner recalled that this section was used for livestock production during the Second World War.

E4

A lean-to single-storey section attached to the north-western corner of block E, apparently post-1920. The walls are rendered with a ruled and lined finish. The roof is mainly single-pitch and slated, with galvanised steel rainwater goods. Window and door openings are flat-headed; doors are timber-panelled and windows are painted timber.

Block F

A small post-1920 weighhouse. Walls are rendered with a ruled and lined finish. The hipped roof is covered with artificial slate and clay ridge tiles. The south face has a flat-headed door opening with the door missing, and the west face has a boarded-up window opening. Inside, the walls are rendered with a ruled and lined finish, and the weighing machine remains in place, though there was no evidence of the weighbridge.

Block G

A mid to later 20th century farm building with breeze-block and corrugated metal walls.

Block H

A long, narrow L-shaped range to the west of block E, made up of four sections: H1 at a right angle at the northern end, and H2, H3 and H4 extending southwards in a line. The overall character of the range is more consistent than the other blocks, being largely built of random rubble with slated gabled roofs, though H2, the former engine house, has been significantly altered over time.

H1

A single-storey structure of around 1850, originally housing workshops, offices, a staff canteen and the blacksmith's forge. Walls are built of random Greywacke rubble with dressed granite quoins and dressed granite around the openings. The pitched roof is covered with natural slate with rendered skews, and the rainwater goods are cast iron, though much is now missing. There is one door opening on the east façade; all other doors and windows are on the south façade. Openings are flat-headed and mostly have flat brick arches. Some openings have been enlarged. Window frames are timber with multiple Georgian-like panes, some fixed and some sliding sash. Doors are timber-sheeted, and those serving the workshops have sliding double doors.

H2

A relatively large two-storey structure whose southern half originally housed the engine, first believed to be the location of a large water wheel (now removed), and subsequently a steam engine and later turbines (also removed). The northern half served as storage for finished product and housed twin boilers, which remain in situ, both bearing the maker's name embossed on the firebox doors: PENMAN & Co. Ltd. GLASGOW. The northern section is now a roofless shell.

The southern section, which latterly held the turbines, has a large brick projection on its eastern, yard-facing front, almost certainly added when the turbines were introduced around 1900 to 1910. This brick projection contains a large door opening with paired glazed timber panelled doors, flanked by plain sidelights and surmounted by large overlights with multiple Georgian-like panes. To the left and on the southern side of the projection there are similar large windows. The projection is topped by a large overhanging timber-clad lean-to structure, from which extends an iron-clad enclosed bridge spanning from H2 across the yard to E3, no doubt originally carrying power to that section.

H3

Part of one of the two original mill ranges of the later 1830s. Walls are random rubble with dressed granite quoins, with the southern gable, which rises above the abutting H4, rendered. The gabled roof is slated and has a series of large roof lights, now mainly blocked. Window openings are evenly arranged, flat-headed with fixed frames and multiple Georgian-pane glazing; lintels are stone, though some have been replaced in concrete. At ground floor there are a series of door openings, all of which appear to have been altered in some way, with some enlarged and some fitted with roller shutters.

H4

A two-storey section which, although lower than H3, matches it in materials and general appearance and appears to have been built at the same time, around 1836. To the eastern side is a relatively large, crudely built late 20th century shed of blockwork and metal cladding. Most of the original door and window openings have been boarded or bricked up.

Block I

A corrugated-iron clad shed with a segmental-arched roof dating from around 1910. A later pair of timber-sheeted doors is set to the left of the entrance gable, and some of the cladding has fallen away. This building may contain a Belfast truss roof, though this could not be confirmed at the time of survey as the owner was unable to locate the padlock key, and noted in any case that an internal ceiling would obscure any clear view of the trusses.

Block J

A large double-piled post-1920 shed with a masonry base and corrugated-iron clad upper section.

Block K

Apparently of late 19th century construction, certainly post-1858, but largely rebuilt in the later 20th century in concrete blocks.

Block M

A rubble-built block that appears to pre-date 1832 and may have formed part of the original bleachworks. It has been largely demolished, or has simply collapsed. A modern industrial shed has been built to its west side.

Chimneystack

To the rear of H2 is a large octagonal industrial brick chimneystack. The original tulip-shaped top was removed in the late 20th century, and the upper section of the stack is now encased in a grid of structural metal straps.

Bridge and Culvert

To the east side of block E, a small bridge and a culvert provide vehicle access to the rear of the site. Both are built of rubble stone with dressed granite voussoirs. The culvert opening is segmental-headed with a keystone, and the bridge arch is semicircular-headed. The channel through which water from the original water wheel was discharged runs between rubble stone sides. The bridge has a crude handrail; the culvert edge is unprotected.

Mill Pond

To the west of block J is the former mill pond. The embankment recently subsided with a resultant loss of water, and the pond is now a mud flat.

Main Gate

The original gates are missing. The square gate piers are unremarkable and had pyramidal caps, now damaged. Beside the gates is a small gate lodge-style building.

Historical background

The history of this complex can be traced to around 1800, when brothers William Murland (around 1762 to 1831) and James Murland (around 1774 to 1850), sons of a tanner from Portaferry, acquired two bleachgreens in the area. Both built houses next to their respective greens: William built Wood Lodge on the higher ground to the west, and James built Annsborough House on the lower ground to the north-east. The Murlands' business thrived and by 1816 they were finishing between 7,000 and 8,000 pieces of linen per year. Around 1826, James built a spinning mill close to the roadside to the south of his house. That earlier mill, the first in Ireland to use the revolutionary new wet spinning process for the manufacture of fine yarns, was an immediate success and led directly to the development of a second, larger spinning mill on the site of James's original bleachworks to the rear of Annsborough House — the complex that became the Standard Mill.

E.R.R. Green dates the establishment of this second mill to 1836, when the building known as the New Mill on the western side of the complex (H3 and H4) was completed. However, a thread factory is recorded in the valuation of June 1834, described as a two-storey building measuring 55 by 26 feet and graded as not new, suggesting it may have been an adapted older bleachworks structure. The 1834 valuation also records the broader bleaching establishment as consisting of work houses measuring 98 by 23 by 9½, 23 by 24 by 23, 42 by 24 by 17½, 10½ by 20 by 6, and 10½ by 20 by 6 feet, with a lapping room of 49 by 19 by 13½ feet and a drying house of 52 by 22 by 17 feet. The dwelling house is noted as measuring 45 by 23 by 19 feet, with returns of 56 by 19 by 7 and 16 by 19 by 14½ feet, outbuildings of 22 by 20 by 10½ and 37 by 17½ by 10 feet, and stables of 61 by 18½ by 10 and 72 by 27 by 15 feet. The whole concern — house, bleachworks and factory — was rated at £59 6s 2d.

The Ordnance Survey map of 1834 shows long ranges closely resembling the present H3 to H4 and E2 already depicted, suggesting that construction had begun by that year, though as neither is mentioned by the 1834 valuers, work may have commenced after the valuation was carried out in June, or the buildings may have been left unrecorded as unfinished structures. There is also the possibility, though unusual, that the map was annotated a few years after its primary survey to include the buildings. A potted history published in G.H. Bassett's County Down Guide and Directory of 1886 states that the larger eastern block E2, described as 240 feet long and 50 feet wide, dates from 1836, suggesting both main ranges were built at around the same time or in quick succession. The smaller and slightly plainer western block, however, appears to be the older of the two.

Whether either block was fully complete by 1836 is doubtful: the Ordnance Survey Memoirs of November that year describe the manufactory as one that will be an extremely fine one when completed, and Samuel Lewis, writing the following year, refers to the mill as still in the course of erection, though both writers were clearly impressed by its scale and the 50-foot water wheel. It is possible the mill was not fully operational until around 1840, as James Murland told the Hand-Loom Weavers Inquiry Assistant Commissioner in 1839 that while he then employed 300 workers, he expected soon to need between 400 and 500.

To house this growing workforce, Murland began to develop the village of Annsborough to the east of the mills, adding a school in 1836 and later a newsroom. In the later 1840s the business expanded further with the acquisition of the neighbouring Greenvale bleachworks. By the time of James Murland's death in 1850, his endeavours had transformed the economic, social and physical landscape of the area. The revised Ordnance Survey map of 1858 shows the complex dominated by the two main parallel blocks E2 and H3 to H4, with the engine house at the northern end of the latter (H2), the long range at a right angle to this (H1), and the large single-storey shed-like structure at the northern end of E2 (E3). Various structures to the south are also shown, some apparently surviving from the pre-1834 bleachworks, including outbuildings associated with the house and a long structure to the north-east of the house on the site of the present block C. A gasometer that supplied lighting for the factory stood immediately to the south, and the mill pond to the west was considerably enlarged compared to its 1834 extent.

The valuation of around 1861 records only a note about additional single-storey offices not recorded in 1834, measuring 17 yards by 11, 85 by 6 (possibly on the site of the present block C), 35 by 18, and 20 by 20 feet, with no further dimensions given. An annotation to this valuation of September 1862 records that new buildings were then in progress, and a further amendment the following year notes that the rateable value of the premises had risen from £270 to £430. These new buildings were almost certainly the long two-storey flat-roofed addition to the eastern side of block E2 and the long free-standing hipped-roof range to the south (block C). They were built to exploit the boom in the linen market created by the disruption to cotton supplies during the American Civil War, and were carried out under the direction of the late James Murland's four sons, the youngest and most energetic of whom, Charles Murland (1820 to 1887), simultaneously undertook the construction of a new bleachworks at Greenvale.

Under Charles Murland's stewardship the business continued to grow, and by the mid 1880s the firm of James Murland could boast 100 power looms, 10,000 spindles, 1,000 employees, and offices in Belfast, Glasgow, London, Paris, Berlin and New York. No major new additions to the mill itself appear to have been made during this period, apart from a preparing house built in 1873 to 1874, possibly block E1, and the brick projections to the engine house and the west side of E2, which probably date from around 1900 to 1910. An illustration of the premises published in the 1886 County Down Guide and Directory depicts a scene very similar to that of today.

In 1903 the business was converted into a private limited company, James Murland Ltd., owned and run largely by members of the Ferguson family, in-laws of Charles Murland's son, the late Clotworthy Warren Murland. The economic difficulties that followed the First World War proved hard to withstand, and the older mill closed in 1927, with work ceasing at the Standard Mill in 1930. The firm was acquired by the Ulster Weaving Company of Belfast in 1937, which continued to operate the Greenvale bleachworks until the early 2000s. Since its closure, the Standard Mill complex has seen a variety of uses, including a large pig farm during the Second World War. It is now divided into a number of separate units.