Former flax mill, NW of 69 Newry Rd, Rathfriland, Newry, Co Down, BT34 5AL

Former Flax Mill, Rathfriland

An extensive Second World War flax scutching complex stands on the north side of Newry Road, just east of Ivy Bridge Cottages, near Rathfriland in County Down. The site was erected around 1941–42 by James Cromie as a facility for local farmers engaged in flax growing as part of the war effort. The complex comprises five main elements: an automatic scutch mill, miscellaneous associated buildings, a manual scutch mill, a flax store, and an office.

The automatic scutch mill is the most significant building on the site and survives in reasonably intact condition, although without machinery. It is a two-storey multi-bay structure, eleven openings wide and aligned east-west, with a pitched corrugated asbestos roof, asbestos gutters, smooth cement-rendered walls over concrete blocks, and metal casement windows with concrete cills. The principal elevation faces south towards the road and can be divided into three sections. The left section is a lower two-storey structure four openings wide, with two circular cowl ventilators along the ridge. The ground floor contains four equi-spaced 2×4 paned windows, whilst the first floor has 2–6 paned windows. The middle section, three openings wide, has a doorway (now infilled) at ground floor flanked by 3×6 paned windows, one of which is sheeted over. The first floor contains a loading door (now infilled) at left and 3×5 paned windows. The right-hand section is slightly set back and contains at ground floor three 3×6 paned windows and one 2×6 paned window, with two windows sheeted over, and three 3×5 paned windows at first floor plus a sliding door. A walled balcony accessed by a quarter-turn concrete staircase is positioned in front of this section. A one-storey toilet block abuts the right gable of this section. The rear elevation divides into two sections: the left comprises seven openings wide with five 3×6 paned windows and a door (now infilled) at ground floor, and doors at both ends with five 3×5 paned windows at first floor; the right section is four openings wide with 2×6 paned windows at first floor, all with their bottom four panes infilled. The left gable features a large pair of sliding corrugated metal doors at centre and a 3×3 paned window to the apex.

The austerity of the architecture reflects the functional nature and period of its erection. Its internal layout reflects the specific function of each division (store, engine room, and processing areas). The mill is very similar to a "Belgian" scutch mill at Ballymagart near Kilkeel, and is one of a handful erected throughout the province at the instigation of the government as part of the war effort.

Associated buildings at the site include a small one-storey refurbished office to the front right of the main block with metal doors and metal-framed windows throughout. To the rear right is a two-bay single-storey structure with flat concrete roof, probably formerly housing fuel tanks for the diesel engine. At the north-west corner is a small two-bay structure, formerly a worker's canteen and toilets, with a rendered chimney at centre and doors to south and north elevations.

North-east of this building was a large dam, now infilled, which formerly supplied a water-powered scutch mill a short distance to the north. In later years this mill was driven by a small diesel engine, the mounting block of which remains evident. Ruinous foundations survive, together with a more substantial one-storey random rubble store to its south-east.

The manual scutch mill stands a short distance north-east of the automatic mill. It is a substantial diesel-powered scutching mill in which flax was manually processed, aligned east-west with similar materials to the automatic mill. It comprises three distinct sections. The western section is a large one-storey single-bay flax intake store with a large entrance on the west elevation, currently being renovated as a fish processing factory with recently re-rendered walls. Abutting its east elevation at right angles is the lower one-storey mill, retaining some original metal doors and windows. A lean-to runs along the south face containing the mounting block of the former engine. No machinery survives internally.

Just south-east of the manual mill is a large scutched flax store, a one-storey single-bay building with two ridge ventilators, large sliding corrugated metal doors in the north face, and metal windows. A lower one-storey annex is attached to the west gable. Both sections are now disused with no special internal features.

To the rear left of the manual mill is a small one-storey two-bay office block, now derelict with no special internal features.

Historical context indicates that a water-powered flax mill occupied the site and is shown on the 1833 Ordnance Survey 6-inch map. It was then owned by Walter Woods, who also owned the nearby corn mill. The circa 1862 valuation describes it as having six stocks and a pair of rollers. The premises remained vacant from 1904 until 1921, when Alexander McCauley took over. James Cromie subsequently purchased the premises and erected the present buildings circa 1941–42. The mills operated until approximately 1947–48. The Cromies also operated a large diesel-powered scutch mill in the nearby Drumlough townland.