Newmills Corn and Flax Mills facts for kids
The Newmills Corn and Flax Mills is a special old mill located in County Donegal, Ireland. It's found near Letterkenny, right by the River Swilly. This mill is famous for having one of the biggest working waterwheels in Ireland!
A long channel, about 1 kilometer (half a mile) long, brings water to the mill. This water powers two different mill wheels. One wheel grinds grains like oats and barley. The other wheel processes flax, which is used to make linen fabric.
History of the Mills
Mills have been here since the early 1800s. They were important for local farmers. The first known owner was Joseph Hunter. In 1861, John Devine bought the mills.
Later, in 1892, Patrick Gallagher bought the whole place. It included the mills, a house, a shop, and a pub. There was also a small cottage for workers who processed flax. He even owned a forge and a farm nearby.
When Patrick Gallagher bought the mills, they needed a lot of work. He made big improvements around 1907. He installed the large waterwheel you see today. He also updated the machinery inside the mill.
During the Second World War, the flax industry became important again. The British government offered money to grow more flax. This was to make sure they had enough linen for the war. Because of this, P.F. Gallagher, Patrick's son, built a newer flax mill in the 1940s.
The shop and pub at Newmills were also very successful. They even exported goods like butter and bacon. Sir Thomas Lipton, who started a famous grocery business, got some of his first supplies from Newmills!
In 1978, experts recognized Newmills as a very important historical site. It was seen as the best example of a mill complex in County Donegal. In 1986, the Irish government bought the mills. They wanted to protect them as a national monument. Volunteers helped restore the mills and the water channel in 1989.
How the Corn Mill Worked
The corn mill mostly processed oats and barley grown by local farmers. It also ground imported maize. The mill building has three floors. All the machines inside were powered by the huge waterwheel. This waterwheel was built in 1867.
The waterwheel turned slowly, about three times a minute. It created enough power to run all the mill's equipment. This power was sent through gears and belts. The building also had a special oven, called a kiln, to dry the grain.
A miller named Harry Pinkerton worked at Newmills for many years. He said the mill was busy almost all year. From late summer after harvest until spring, it ground local grains. In the summer, they made animal feed by mixing maize with oats.
The first step was to dry the grain. Farmers would bring their grain to the mill. It was spread on a special drying floor. This floor had holes and was heated by the kiln below. The kiln used a smokeless coal for fuel. Turf was not used because it would give the oats a bad taste. The kiln could dry a lot of oats each day.
Next, the grain went to the "shelling stones." These stones separated the outer skin, or husk, from the grain's inside part. After that, the kernels were ground into oatmeal by "grinding stones." These stones were often made from a special French stone. The miller had to sharpen these stones regularly.
The top grinding stone could be moved up or down. This allowed the miller to make different types of oatmeal. It could be fine, medium, or coarse. The meal was then lifted to the first floor. Here, it was cleaned and sieved. Finally, it was brought back down to be put into bags. Then, it was lifted to a storage area.
The whole milling process was very clever. It used hoists, belts, and pulleys. One person could manage most of the work. The miller would keep a small amount of the ground meal as payment. This was called "muthered."
The original family home, shop, and pub are also being restored. They are part of the national monument site.
