The Corn Mill, Mary Brook, 11 Raleagh Road, Drummaconagher, Crossgar, Downpatrick, Co. Down, BT30 9JG

An extensive and largely complete small-scale Georgian vernacular rural milling complex dating from the 18th and early 19th centuries, situated at the end of a lane to the west of Raleagh Road, roughly two and a half miles east of Ballynahinch. The Ballynahinch River runs immediately to the west, with a mill pond to the south.

The complex comprises water-powered two-storey corn and flax mills and a single-storey stable block, all probably dating from the mid to late 1700s, together with a two-storey miller's house of 1837 and subsidiary structures including a small cottage and storehouse of circa 1840s. To the rear of the house are large two and single-storey wings, a section of which appears originally to have been a barn. The entire grouping presents a uniform appearance with harled and whitewashed facades, slated roofs, Georgian paned sash windows, and timber-sheeted doors, complemented by traditional wrought iron farm gates, stone walling, and simple gate pillars.

The complex was abandoned in the 1950s and lay largely derelict until the early 1970s. Since then it has been restored, with the corn mill still operating until the late 1990s.

The Corn Mill Building

The corn mill, which includes the kiln house, occupies the north-east corner of the complex. It is a relatively large two-storey gabled building with harled and whitewashed facade and slated roof. The mill race passes under the building at its east end. To the north and south are relatively large one-and-a-half storey gabled projections, the southern projection (the fan house) set side-on in double-pile fashion and probably original to the building.

The main entrance to the mill lies in the west gable and consists of a low timber-sheeted door positioned right of centre. To its right is a set of external weighing scale apparatus covered by a large gabled hood; the stone weights for these scales have been placed near the entrance to the house. To the left on the upper floor is a timber-sheeted loft door with metal hopper attached beneath.

To the far left of the north elevation is a one-and-a-half storey gabled projection abutted at its gable by a large square gate pillar. A timber-sheeted door opens to the ground floor of this projection's north-facing gable, with a small nine-pane Georgian window above. The east face of the projection contains a window matching the gable design, while the west face has a timber-sheeted ground-floor door. This projection was added sometime between circa 1834 and circa 1858.

The main section's north facade features a timber-sheeted vehicle doorway left of centre, with a window to its left (six panes) and a tiny four-pane window to the far right. The first floor has five windows: the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th are as the projection gable; the 1st has an irregular shape cut across by the roof of the projection; the 4th is broader than the rest and incorporates a louvered section. Adjacent and attached to the north-east corner of the building is a rendered and whitewashed pair of farm gateposts with a wrought iron gate.

The south elevation features the larger one-and-a-half storey gabled fan house projection. Its east gable contains a large flat-arch vehicle doorway with timber-sheeted double doors, above which is a small louvered opening. The south face has two windows, larger than those on the north elevation. The remainder of the south elevation to the left of the projection is blank. The west gable has a window to the upper floor matching the north elevation design.

All sections of the roof are slated with a small ventilation turret to the main ridge of the main roof. Cast iron rainwater goods throughout.