Bessbrook Mill, Derrymore Road, Bessbrook

This large granite spinning mill complex was constructed in stages between 1845 and approximately 1880, with minor early 20th-century additions. It served as the hub of a historically important mill village. The site was requisitioned by the army in 1971 and adapted for military use, with some smaller structures demolished and the main buildings converted to barracks and vehicle depots. The army vacated the property in 2007, and it now stands empty.

Setting and Layout

The mill site lies to the south-east of Bessbrook village. To the west is a dense belt of trees, beyond which lies the large mill pond. Immediately to the north are the plots of former mill workers' houses, the dwellings themselves fronting onto Fountain Street. To the east runs the curving Derrymore Road, with Bessbrook River to the south and south-east. A large portion of land to the south-west, off Mill Road, was formerly part of the mill but is now separate, with some former mill buildings converted for use as business units and shops. A tall corrugated metal security fence encloses much of the site to the south and east, with the main entrance off Derrymore Road.

The Complex

The complex consists of three distinct sections. The first, on the west side, comprises three long narrow factory blocks (A1, A2, A3) set on a north-south axis and linked together, spanning almost the entire length of the site. They descend in both height and breadth from south to north: the southernmost is five storeys, the northernmost three. Projecting from the west side of the southern five-storey block is a double-height former engine house (A4).

The second section lies at the south-eastern corner, extending at a right angle from the south end of the first. It is roughly L-shaped, with a relatively narrow four-storey portion (B1) on the east side set on an east-west axis, a somewhat broader four-storey block (B2) attached at a right angle, and a single-storey structure of similar width (B3) running along the length of the latter.

The third section, to the north-east, is attached to blocks A2 and A3 and comprises two very large single-storey former weaving sheds with northlight roofs. The southern shed (C1) is roughly square in plan, while the northern shed (C2) has an L-shaped footprint with its eastern wall set at an angle.

All these buildings are positioned around a yard which, when the mill was in operation, was largely occupied by various other structures, mainly single to two-storey. These have been completely cleared away, with the eastern side of the yard now partly enclosed by a post-1971 concrete blast wall. At the north end of the site there are some utilitarian post-1971 single-storey buildings.

Block A1

Block A1 was originally the main factory building and remains the dominant structure of the complex, neatly finished and somewhat austere in appearance. It stands five storeys high, measures approximately 85 metres by 15 metres, and is flat-roofed. It was built sometime between approximately 1848 and 1860, possibly in stages, with the fifth storey added in the early 1920s. Two concrete-block roof sangers and a large full-height rendered latrine extension were added by the army in the 1970s.

The walls are almost entirely faced in ashlar granite, possibly the result of a later 1870s re-facing, with raised cement pointing, and rise to a parapet topped with a row of squat piers. Between the uppermost floors there is a projecting string course, formerly an eaves course. The east elevation has three original full-height latrine projections with slit openings, along with some disparate but possibly original single and two-storey projections, and the large 1970s latrine extension.

To the first, second, third and fourth floors on both the long east and west elevations there is a row of Georgian-ratio flat-arched window openings with granite sills and, to the ground to second floor openings, raised granite surrounds and unusual pointed lintels. Most of these are filled with modern-style replacement frames, some partly boarded up; however, almost all of the ground floor openings have been closed completely with concrete blocks, as have many of the original arch-headed doorways to the ground floor of the east elevation. To the far right-hand side of the east elevation, the façade is finished in a mixture of snecked granite and granite rubble, while the window openings are dressed in brick. The short south elevation has a single window opening to each floor, with the ground floor openings filled in as before.

The flat roof is covered in concrete flagstones probably added by the army in the 1970s. The underlying roof structure has sagged.

Block A2

Sources suggest this block was built within five to ten years of its larger southern neighbour. Measuring roughly 50 metres by 8.5 metres, it is four storeys high when viewed from the west, with a low fifth or loft storey visible from the east. As a result, the building has an asymmetric gabled roof; sources indicate that this alteration took place in 1871. The whole of the lowest two storeys of the east elevation is abutted by the larger former weaving shed C1. A corrugated-metal parapet has been added post-1971.

The west elevation is finished in ashlar granite with raised pointing and has a row of window openings to the first to third floors. These are as A1 but slightly smaller and minus surrounds or unusual lintels, and have a mixture of multi-pane timber frames and modern-style timber replacements, some partly boarded over. The ground floor openings are all filled in. The east elevation has window openings to its two uppermost floors, with only one visible to far left and far right on the second floor. Those to the uppermost floor are considerably smaller. All of these have granite sills, brick dressings and replacement uPVC frames.

Block A3

This L-shaped three-storey flat-roofed block appears to have been built in two stages: the north-south section dating from 1861–62, and the east-west portion approximately 1876–78. The latter appears to have been truncated around 1900.

The west elevation of the north-south range is much as the west elevation of block A2, but with two relatively small post-1971 single-storey concrete block and corrugated metal projections, and modern-style replacement frames to almost all the windows. As before, the ground floor openings are all filled in, bar a segmental-headed carriage entrance to far right, which has modern metal doors. The ground and first floors of the east elevation are abutted by the large former weaving shed C2, and to the left-hand side of the elevation there is a full-height post-1971 extension finished in cement render. The exposed second floor is in granite rubble with brick-dressed window openings with frames as previous.

The north elevation of the east-west portion is finished in rock-faced granite, with window openings as the west elevation of the previous section, but with early 1900s mullioned and transomed timber frames. The south elevation is much as the east elevation of the previous, as is the short east elevation (but with all openings filled in with brick). Detailing to the edge of the latter suggests the north elevation was re-faced. The flat roof is hidden by a parapet. At the south end of the roof, where the building abuts block A2, there is a utilitarian post-1971 corrugated metal structure.

Block A4 (Former Engine House)

This double-height hipped-roof block was originally an engine house. It was built in 1903 to designs by W.J. Gilliland of Belfast and, unlike much of the rest of the complex, displays a degree of architectural pretension. The building is roughly square in plan and abuts the left-hand end of the west elevation of block A1.

It has rock-faced granite walls (as A3) broken up by pilasters rising from a tall plinth (on the north and south sides at least; the west side could not be seen). Between the piers are window openings with timber frames with moulded mullions and transoms; two of these windows to the north side have been filled in. Above the windows is a projecting string course above which are roundel windows, now filled in. There appear to have been a row of small square window openings to a basement level, but the change in ground level has obscured most of these, with most of those which are still exposed filled in. The slated roof has an overhang with a bracketed eaves course.

Block B1

Sandwiched between A1 in the west and B2 in the east, this block is three-storey when viewed from the south and four-storey from the north. Its history and development are difficult to follow, but it is possible that it is one of the earliest structures on the site, built approximately 1845–50 as a two-storey building attached to B2, but raised two floors, extended westwards to link A1, and largely re-faced around 1876–78. The roof, of corrugated metal with a single pitch, is another post-1971 alteration.

The south elevation is largely as the west elevation of A1 (ashlar granite, etc.), however most of the openings are filled in apart from three windows (which have modern-style frames) to the second floor. To the right on the ground floor, what was formerly a large segmental-headed carriage entrance has been reduced to the size of a pedestrian doorway.

The north elevation has a somewhat more untidy appearance, revealing something of the block's evolution. The two lower floors to the left of the carriage entrance are as previous, however the remainder is in granite rubble and has a markedly different pattern of fenestration: more, squatter openings with brick dressings. The carriage arch to the far right on the ground floor is open.

Block B2

Evidence suggests that this block may be the original mill building of the complex, and as such dates from 1845. However, both physical evidence and sources suggest it began life as a three-storey structure, with the fourth floor—plus an extra loft level to the southern portion of the block—added in the 1870s. At this point the southern portion was given a new hipped roof which continued across the recently heightened B1, with a double-profile Belfast Truss roof placed on top of the rest of the building. In approximately 1920 the latter section was given its present metal-trussed gabled roof, and at some point after 1971 the mono-pitched roof was added to the former.

There is a large full-height stair projection to the west elevation which has been capped by a corrugated-metal lean-to roof of similar date as the previous, and to the left of this is a small single-storey flat-roofed extension, possibly early 20th century. The ground floor level of the east elevation is abutted by block B3. Roughly to the centre of the same elevation there is a latrine projection similar to those to A1.

The walls of the whole structure are a mixture of squared and rubble granite; subtle and not so subtle changes in the stonework denote alterations, particularly on the north elevation. The windows throughout are of similar proportion to those on most of the other blocks, however those to the second floor (which was probably originally the uppermost level) are considerably smaller. All have granite sills and brick dressings; most have been filled in with red brick, with those to the west elevation boarded over or filled with concrete blocks.

Block B3

Sources suggest this single-storey building, with part flat, part northlight roof, is pre-1860. Its original purpose is uncertain, however details within the 1862 valuation book indicate that it may have been a coal shed. It has roughly squared granite walls, with window openings largely as B2, to the east and south elevations, now all filled in with brick. To far right on the east elevation, one of the former windows was made into a pedestrian doorway post-1971; this too has been filled in, as have two semicircular-headed archways to the north elevation. To the south elevation there is a large, recently inserted or enlarged vehicle entrance with cement render surround and roller shutter.

Block C1 (Weaving Shed)

Block C1 is a large single-storey, double-height northlight-roofed structure, measuring roughly 50 metres by 50 metres, with a bevelled south-eastern corner. It was built around the 1850s as a weaving shed, but post-1971 appears to have been used as a vehicle depot. To the west it abuts block A2 and to the north C2. The section to the north end that directly abuts C2 appears to have been added or rebuilt in the early 1900s, as its exposed eastern elevation is in brick.

The south elevation has been altered in recent years and now has two large flat-arch vehicle openings to the left-hand side. Much of this elevation is cement rendered, apart from the right-hand edge, which is in a mixture of squared and rubble granite with some brick-dressed window openings, now filled in. The east elevation is also in granite and has variously sized openings dressed and filled in in a similar fashion as those to south. The brick dressings to most of these openings suggest they are not original. Differences in the stonework to this elevation show that the building has been heightened; sources indicate that this work may have been carried out around 1900. The northlight roof has frosted glazed panels to the north-facing sides with the south sides slated. The roof is pierced in a north-south direction by a series of metal supports.

Block C2 (Weaving Shed)

Attached to the north side of C1 and the east side of A3, C2 is a large single-storey building with a northlight roof, built in 1867–68 as another weaving shed, but probably altered in the early 20th century. It is roughly L-shaped, with the east face set at an angle following the line of the road. Due to the presence of post-1971 structures to the north, and the boundary wall of the complex and a lean-to extension to the east, it is difficult to discern anything of the north and east elevations, bar a small section of the right-hand end of the latter, which has rubble walling and a filled-in former pedestrian doorway. Other exposed sections of original walling have been rendered. The south-facing sides of the roof are largely covered in corrugated plastic sheeting. The north-facing sides appear to be largely glazed; however a section to the north end is covered in what appears to be felt.

Boundary Walling

The eastern side of the complex, running alongside Derrymore Road, is largely enclosed by a tall rubble wall with rough battlement-like coping. The wall is largely intact save for a section immediately north of the main entrance at the bend in the road, where post-1971 security arrangements appear to have resulted in the demolition of a small section. Beyond this, to the north, part of the walling is obscured by corrugated metal cladding, while a wire fence has been placed on top of the remainder of the walling to north again.

Along the same stretch, two original vehicle gateways have survived, each with square, dressed granite piers; most of these have lost their capping, except for one to the northern gateway, which has retained a shallow-pitched pyramidal cap with a cast-iron finial for a gas lamp fitting. The original gates have been removed and the openings filled in with corrugated metal fencing.

To the south side of the main entrance the wall height lowers considerably, merging with the wall of a neighbouring later 19th-century dwelling house (1 Mill Road, Listed HB 16/23/003). Almost directly across the road from the main entrance is a former tram shed (HB16/22/043), built in 1884 to serve the Bessbrook & Newry Tramway.