|
|
|
|
Slane Mill and Environs
Associated to Place:
AncientWorlds >
Celtia >
Eire >
Meath >
Slane >
articles
-- by
1
Featured May 17 , 2007
The Village of Slane, County Meath, Ireland, is home to a number of ancient ruins, a relatively modern castle and one of the largest flour mills in Europe. It also contains some fine Georgian architecture in the village proper, most of which was built at the direction of the Conyngham family, the local Lords of the Land.
Motoring up the N2 from Dublin to Slane, the first landmark you encounter is a rather old and very narrow, one-lane bridge. You should be aware that there is a sharp right turn, immediately preceding the bridge, and a sharp left, just after it. The scrapes on the stonework testify to the number of unwary drivers who approach the bridge at anything over 10 miles per hour. If you world like to take a walking tour of Slane and its environs, there is a car park shortly before the bridge. My recommendation? Park the car and stretch your legs. You’ll see a lot more on foot, and you will be less apt to run over one of the villagers.
   Click to Enlarge The original bridge dates to the fourteenth century, and is one of the few places for many miles, that the Boyne can be crossed while keeping your feet dry. Local lore suggests this may have been the site of a ford, in antiquity. In 1776, the old bridge was replaced with this fine, thirteen arch span, as part of the waterway improvements in preparation for the building of Slane Mill. The weir and millrace were constructed about this same time, as well as this section of the lower Boyne canal. The canal had a series of locks to allow movement of barges around the weir. Until the early part of the 20th century, most of the goods were moved by barge. The combination of the River Boyne and the various canals connected Drogheda with Slane, Navan, and other ports. Grain was brought to Slane Mill by barge from the various farming areas, ground into fine flour, and shipped out again by the same means. You can clearly see remnants of the old towpath, which now makes for an excellent walking trail.   Click to Enlarge Back to the road and across the bridge (single-file, please) we come to the gates to the Slane Mill and the Gatekeeper’s Lodge. The limestone piers and carved caps, and the heavy wrought iron gates are a statement of the "no-nonsense" attitude toward property right at the time. These gates are still functional, even after more than 200 years of weather and corrosion. There is no record of the maker of these gates. However, several other wrought-iron gates in the area were built by one James Farrell of Ardmulchan. The Farrell family were smiths of the best tradition. They were famous for their fine wagon axles, and also for their gates. The original Gatekeeper’s Lodge consisted only of the hip-roofed section in the rear. The flat-roofed portion of the structure is a more modern addition which, unfortunately, hides much of the older structure. The Gatekeeper and his family lived here in three small rooms, which was a fine place for the times. Over the years, the Lodge has also served as a storage building, a school, and is once again a private residence.     Click to Enlarge Passing through the gate, we find a tree-shaded lane along the banks of the Boyne. The millrace can be clearly seen from this side of the river, and a good flow sill courses along it. After about a hundred yards of natural tranquility, the trees pull back to reveal Slane Mill and its associated buildings. Dominating the area is the five-story mill, itself. Building of the mill was begun in 1763 and completed in 1766. David Jebb was the engineer/architect in charge of construction of both the mill and the lower Boyne navigation canal. His primary partner (financier) in these efforts was Blaney Townley Balfour, of Townley Hall, which is situated between Drogheda and Slane. The Slane Mill was, at the time of its construction, the largest in the British Isles, and was on a par with the largest mills in all of Europe. According to Arthur Young, the mill could "grind with great ease 120 barrells, of 20 stone each, every day." Assuming a five-day working week, this amounts to 30,000 barrels (a barrel weighs 280 lbs) per year. During the first few years, the output was only 13,000 to 17,000 barrels, owing to supply and demand. Due to the damp climate, the grain had to be kiln-dried for eight months of the year. However, most of the labor of hauling the grain to the upper storeys for processing, was carried out by water-power. Jebb designed in several bucket elevators, which were powered by the wheel. Because of this, only 10 to 12 common hands were required for the running of the operation. The mill was active until about 1870, when the introduction of roller mills dealt the old millstones a fatal blow. The Slane Mill was closed down and sat idle until the latter part of World War I. The place was renovated with a water turbine to replace the old mill wheel, and was used to drive flax scutching machinery. This lasted until the 1930’s when looms were brought in to manufacture cloth for cotton flour bags. It was around this time, that a power house was built, including the free-standing brick chimney. In 1955, a weaving factory, with 100 automatic looms, was built on the premises. This was followed by a spinning mill in 1959. Throughout the 60’s and 70’s, the mill employed an average of 650 workers. Sadly, foreign competition gradually eroded the profit margin and the last of the operations stopped in 1982. The business, now known as The Slane Manufacturing Company, finally closed in 1994. One other interesting structure associated with the Slane Mill is "The Millhouse". Originally, this was where the miller and his family lived, with an attached dormitory for the workers. Over the years, the Millhouse also served as a hotel for folks traveling by barge, up and down the river. The structure has most recently been converted into an eclectic, upscale hotel and "Bed and Breakfast". Another real estate group is reportedly looking at the old mill, itself, with the thought of converting it to condominiums. Sources and Credits: "Slane", C. E. F. Tench, National Trust for Ireland, 1976. "Slane Town Trail", C. E. F. Tench, Meath Association, 1995. "A Tour of Ireland", Arthur Young, June 1776. Photographs courtesy of the National Institute of Architectural Heritage. Please note, these pictures are copyright (© DOEHLG/NIAH) and are used with permission. You can see more of their fine collection at Buildings of Ireland. |
The Stone Circle
~ Table of Contents ~
|
