Site of Paper Mill, Patterson's Spade Mill

Summary

Site of 19th Century Paper Mill in operation from 1837 to 1891

Identification Images (0)

Monument Types

Description

The runined building known as the beetling mill 131001, which was originally 26m by 8m in size and either two or possibly three stories high was first recorded as being used as a paper mill and was for a short period, some 20 years at the start of the 20th century, turned into a beetling mill. The structure is now roofless and derelict.

Cartographic evidence suggested that the paper mill was an ‘L’-shaped complex and physical remains on the site in the form of the former beetling mill (NTSMR 131001) and the metal working shop of the spade mill (NTSMR 131002) appear to substantiate this. In addition, the Ordnance Survey Memoir for the Parish of Ballymartin, County Antrim by James Boyle and dated 9 December 1838, referrs to the Paper Mill at Carnanee which Boyle states the “establishment was, until the year 1837, occupied as a corn and flax mill: it was then converted to its present purpose. It afforded employment to 19 persons viz. 11 males and 8 females”. The new proprietor was a Mr Robert Sloan and an indication of the changes that he made to the site to accommodate the new paper mill installation can be seen by comparing the 1st OS map (1832-33) and the 2nd OS map (1857) and the outline dimensions of the buildings which are based largely on the measurements given in the Griffith Valuation Return of 25 March 1862. This shows that the former corn kiln and kiln store house were demolished and that the corn mill two story building was extended to form the paper mill two story Rag Store and Engine Room. The new paper mill single story Machine Room was abutted against the south-west wall of what was the corn mill.

A further and significant change was in the diversion of the Tail-race waterway which was redirected from the previous discharge point on the Ballymartin Water river to a discharge point further down stream. This would have been necessary to cater for the installation of a new 25ft x 6ft waterwheel sited between the two story rag store/engine room and Workshop/Cart House building in order gain the necessary fall in the tail-race since the 25ft diameter wheel would have required the tail-race pit to be sunk much deeper than the original corn mill pit. The former head-race also underwent a considerable change. The small pond from the 1832-36 mill configuration was elongated to form a much larger pond some 200m long and 8m wide on average in the head-race. This would have been necessary to ensure, as far as possible, that the 25ft waterwheel had a sufficient supply of water to run at a reasonably constant speed since fluctuations in speed of this main drive could have adversely affected the quality of paper produced.

It is clear that a considerable amount of restructuring had taken place from 28 January 1836 up until the commissioning of the paper mill, which the OS Memoirs say was operating in 1837. The paper mill rag store/engine room later became a Beetling Mill, the ruins of which remain today, with the present Spade Mill flume still located in the same place.

In the 1838 Ordnance Survey Memoir, two waterwheels are mentioned here as being a 25ft diameter, 6ft broad with a 25ft fall and a 14ft diameter, 1ft 4 inches with a fall 18ft to power the Paper Mill established in 1837. However, in the later 1862 Griffith Primary Valuation Field Book for the paper mill, three waterwheels were recorded and described as being a 25ft diameter wheel, 6ft broad, a 14ft diameter wheel, 4ft broad, fall not given (noted as being “not in use”) and a 10ft diameter wheel, 4ft broad, fall not given. It would be reasonable to assume that the 25ft wheel was the same wheel that was in place in both 1838 and 1862. In the 1862 Valuation the Horsepower (hp) rating for the paper mill was “in full, about 22hp, 10hrs for 9 months”. The Valuator concluded that the mill only needed the power output from the 25ft x 6ft waterwheel. The most likely situation was that the 14ft wheel was in fact the 4ft broad wheel as given in the 1862 Griffith Valuation and not 1ft 4inches as given in the 1838 OS Memoir.

Paper making in Carnanee seems to have reflected the industry trends during the 19th century in that, from the start of paper making by Robert Sloan in 1837 there was a 25 year period of stability with the only change being that the ownership seems to have passed from Robert to a William Sloan, presumably a son or close relative, sometime before the Primary Valuation of Ireland in 1862 with local paper manufacturing showing a steady decline during the second half of the 19th century.

A First Revision of the Primary Valuation was carried out in 1864 which recorded that the paper mill had changed hands from William Sloan to a company shown as Diamond & Steen. The next Rates Revision (1867-1880) shows that efforts to maintain a viable paper making business in Carnanee continued when by 1877 the mill again changed hands with the new owners the Carnanee Paper Mills Company. The record also indicates that Carnanee Paper Mills Company had at that time carried out improvements to the mill. In the Valuation period 1881 to 1891 the mill was held by the Ballyclare Paper Mills Company. However, by July of 1891 this company had removed the machinery and the buildings were recorded as being dilapidated.

By 1901, the property was taken over by Moorefield Dyeing and Finishing Company who, as the 1901 OS 3rd Edition Map indicates, had established the “Carnanee Beetling Mill”.

References

None Recorded

Designations

None Recorded

Other Statuses and References

Associated Events

None Recorded

Associated Finds

None Recorded

Related Records