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  Mills in the Ulster Folk Museum, Holywood, County Down 

Location
Grid reference -  J 425 803
At Holywood, off A2 Belfast to Bangor road. Follow signs.

1. Coalisland water-powered spade mill.
The spade mill was built in the middle of the 19th Century and comes from the townland of Derry near Coalisland in County Tyrone. The larger of the two breastshot waterwheels powered a massive hammer to beat out the blades of spades, and the smaller drove a fan above two hearths to give draught to the fires. It was built in 1840 and moved to the Museum in 1964.

2. Gorticashel water-powered flax scutching mill.
This mill was moved to the Museum from Gorticashel in the Sperrin mountains of County Tyrone. Many of the scutching mills were owned and worked by farmers, this mill was built and operated by a family named MacSwiggan. It contains cogged rollers to break down the dried flax and rotating blades to separate the fibres from the outer casing (scutching). Built in 1850 and worked until about 1950.

3. Straid Corn Mill
The mill came from the townland of Straid, County Antrim. In the late 19th and 20th Century Straid Corn Mill and farm were owned and run by Alexander Weir. A 2-storey corn mill and kiln, in a complex with two cottages and an adjacent store. 

Opening Times
April, May, June & September, Monday to Friday, 09.30-17.00, Saturday 10.30 - 18.00, Sunday 12.00 - 18.00. July & August, Monday to Saturday, 10.30 - 18.00, Sunday, 12.00 - 18.00.  October to March, Monday to Friday, 09.30-16.00, Saturday and Sunday, 12.30 - 16.30.

National Mills Weekend opening times
Saturday 10.30 - 18.00, Sunday 12.00 - 18.00.

Contact
028 9042 8428, fax 028 9042 8728.

E-mail
[email protected]

Web Site
www.uftm.org.uk 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





Photograph ©
bannman
under this Creative Commons Licence

 
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