Site no OFIAR-042-008 Mill Park County Offaly Townland Glasderry More Town Planning Offaly CC Discovery map 53 Six-inch map 42 Summary Place name suggests 18th century mill site, of which there is no trace or local knowledge. History 'Mill Park' is cited on 1838 and 1885 OS maps. The plantation adjoining to east is captioned Mill Grove on 1909 edition. Component OFIAR-042-008 1 Type Mill? Function Unknown Category Unknown Context Industry Irish Grid 208413 194830 +/- 10m Survey date 01/08/2003 Surveyor Fred Hamond Building Remains No visible remains Condition N/A Use N/A Waterworks Remains No visible remains Condition N/A Use N/A Plant Remains No visible remains Condition N/A Use N/A Machinery Remains No visible remains Condition N/A Use N/A Description Place name suggests presence of former mill of unknown function. No traces evident in the woodland north of Gloster House. A water channel now supplies a fish pond and ornamental ponds. Interest None Evaluation No industrial heritage significance. Rating Record only Protection Action Associated with Other dbase References Site no OFIAR-042-009 Brosna Maltings County Offaly Townland Drumakeenan (Clonlisk By, Town Ettagh Par) Planning Offaly CC Discovery map 53 Six-inch map 42 Summary Derelict remains of substantial mid 19th century maltings belonging to Merrs Perry, incorporating an 18th/early 19th century water-powered flour mill. Large waterwheel and power transmission gearing survive. History Described in the 1840s Mill Valuation book as a flour mill operated by Richard Dowd. It had a 20ft x 10ft waterwheel driving five pairs of French burr stones. The wheel turned at 3½ rpm and was the fifth largest diameter wheel in the county at this time. The premises had a rating of £84.10s.0d - the second highest in the county after Manor Mill, Birr (OFIAR-035-009). Dowd may also have been operating another nearby flour mill at this time (OFIAR-042-010). Noted in the 1851 Griffith Valuation as belonging to Robert Dowd, along with a miller's house and office. It was rated at £150 at that time. This rating is equalled by Charlestown Mill, Clara (OFIAR008-042) and surpassed only by Erry Mill, Clara (OFIAR-008-038). Dowd was also operating the above flour mill at this time as well. Cited as Brosna malt house on 1885 OS map, and as Brosna Maltings on 1909 edition. Probably in the hands of Messrs Perry by this time. Component OFIAR-042-009 1 Type Grain kiln; Grain mill (water); Malt Function Grain milling; Malting house Category Food processing & products; Drink Context Industry processing & products Irish Grid 210185 191883 +/- 10m Survey date 18/07/2003 Surveyor Fred Hamond Building Remains Substantial remains Condition Poor Use Disused Waterworks Remains Substantial remains Condition Fair Use Disused Plant Remains Complete Condition Poor Use Disused Machinery Remains Some remains Condition Poor Use Disused Description Buildings This block comprises three contiguous bays all aligned east -west. The north bay stands six floors high, including basement and attic. The roof is largely missing but there are vestiges of a half-hip gable at its west end covered with natural slates over common rafters and single purlins. The walls are of random rubble, with ashlar eaves and dressed quoins; also vestiges of lime render. Square-headed openings with brick heads and jambs; no cills to windows. Window frames are 4x4-pane metal frames and 2x3 timber casements. Apart from the ground floor, there are no internal floors or machinery. There are remains of perforated zinc sheeting which probably belonged to a former kiln. The middle bay is four storeys high (including attic) and has similar roof and wall detailing to the north section. Its east gable is inset slightly from those on either side and its west end projects. Its west gable is abutted by a single-storey roofless waterwheel house. Internally, the floors are now missing. At on corner of the ground floor is a jack-arch ceiling (three arches), probably part of a former kiln. The south bay is similar to the north section. Although very overgrown, it appears to be largely devoid of openings. A ground floor door and window both have voussoired stone heads and jambs and the windows have stone cills. There is a chimney on its east gable. A plaque built into a new boundary wall to a house on the north side of the road past the complex reads "Perry's Mill". This was presumably from a gatepost or one of the buildings in the complex. Waterworks The mill pond is still discernible a short distance south of the block, albeit largely infilled. The masonry sluice gate emplacement at its outlet survives. The head- and tailraces survive as drainage channels. Plant The waterwheel on the return projecting from the west gable of the middle bay is of the high breastshot variety and measures 14ft in diameter by 14ft wide. It is of metal construction throughout, with eight spoked arms and 40 curved buckets (all unventilated). Cast on to the rim is "Jacob Clonmel 1855". Apart from its metal soleplate and some buckets, the wheel survives intact. Machinery The power transmission machinery is contained within the projecting west gable of the middle bay. A cast-iron segment wheel affixed to the mill side of the waterwheel connects with a bull nut mounted on the outer end of a cast-iron axle. At the other end of this axle, in side the mill, is a bevelled pitwheel which drives a wallower mounted at the bottom end of the cast-iron upright shaft. Mounted on the axle between the bull nut and pitwheel is a spur gear connected to a smaller pinion. Along the axle on which this pinion is mounted is a large pulley wheel and small external pulley wheel. It is uncertain whether the latter was an external drive to the machinery, or an external power take-off driven from the waterwheel. The collapsed remains of other shafts and gears are also visible inside the building. Interest Architectural; Historical; Technical Evaluation This is one of the largest surviving industrial sites in Co Offaly, albeit in a very derelict state. The sheer scale of the buildings, historical link with the Perrys, and survival of the waterwheel and principal gearing all make it of regional industrial heritage signficance. It merits inclusion in the Record of Protected Structures. Rating Regional Protection Action RPS Associated with OFIAR-042-010 Other dbase References Valuation Mill Book, 1840s. Reproduced by Hogg, W. The Millers and Mills Page(s) 73 of Ireland c.1850 (Dublin, 2000). OFIAR-042-009_01 FWH 18/07/2003 General view from north-east. OFIAR-042-009_02 FWH 18/07/2003 General view from south-east. OFIAR-042-009_03 FWH 18/07/2003 General view from south-west. OFIAR-042-009_04 FWH 18/07/2003 General view from west. OFIAR-042-009_05 FWH 18/07/2003 Looking west inside middle bay. OFIAR-042-009_06 FWH 18/07/2003 Collapsed remains of perforated zinc floor in north pile. OFIAR-042-009_07 FWH 18/07/2003 Waterwheel. OFIAR-042-009_08 FWH 18/07/2003 Waterwheel axle. OFIAR-042-009_09 FWH 18/07/2003 Founder's mark (Jacob Clonmel 1855). OFIAR-042-009_10 FWH 18/07/2003 Bull nut driven bysegment wheel on inner end of waterwheel axle. OFIAR-042-009_11 FWH 18/07/2003 Power transmission gearing at west end of middle bay. OFIAR-042-009_12 FWH 18/07/2003 Name plaque on entrance to house opposite maltings. Site no OFIAR-042-010 County Offaly Townland Drumakeenan (Clonlisk By, Town Roscrea Par) Planning Offaly CC Discovery map 53 Six-inch map 42 Summary Ruinous remains of mid 19th century water-powered corn mill on right bank of Little Brosna River. History First shown on 1885 OS six-inch map and captioned as a mill. Marked as a disused corn mill on 1909 edition. This may be the flour mill cited in the 1840s Mill Valuation book as belonging to Richard Dowd. An 18ft x 7ft 6in wheel drove four sets of stones (however, this valuation entry could refer to OFIAR-042-011). The property was valued at £71.11s.0d - the fourth highest in the county. Dowd also owned Brosna flour mill at this time (OFIAR-042-009). Belonged to Robert Dowd in 1851, when described as a flour mill and rated at £80 (Griffith Valuation). Dowd was also operating the other flour mill at this time as well. Component OFIAR-042-010 1 Type Grain mill (water) Function Grain milling Category Food processing & products Context Industry Irish Grid 210622 191539 +/- 10m Survey date 18/07/2003 Surveyor Fred Hamond Building Remains Some remains Condition Poor Use Disused Waterworks Remains Some remains Condition Poor Use Disused Plant Remains No visible remains Condition N/A Use N/A Machinery Remains No visible remains Condition N/A Use N/A Description Ruinous remains of corn mill on right bank of Little Brosna River. Aligned east-west along north side of race, just above river. Overgrown partial remains of roofless random rubble building, at least three storeys high and of L plan. Square-headed openings, some with brick heads and jambs. Overgrown head and tailraces still evident; now dry. The infilled wheelpit, on south wall, is 2.36m (7ft 9in) wide. Interest None Evaluation No special industrial heritage significance. Rating Record only Protection Action Associated with OFIAR-042-009 Other dbase References Valuation Mill Book, 1840s. Reproduced by Hogg, W. The Millers and Mills Page(s) of Ireland c.1850 (Dublin, 2000). OFIAR-042-010_01 FWH 18/07/2003 Mill remains from north-east.