Skerries Water Mill

Map Reference: O252599 (3252, 2599)

Location: To the east of the railway. Signposted "Skerries Mills"





This water-mill which was built about 1840. It is comprised of a series of two-storey rubble stone buildings with a mill pond, race, sluice gates and waterwheel. It was closed in 1931 but a bakery which was started within the mill in 1846 continued to work until 1986. Within the building are two ovens associated with the bakery. The larger oven as supplied by T Devlin & Sons, Glasgow. It is known as a Scotch oven.


Interior of the Scotch owen

The smaller oven was built by Tonge & Taggart, Dublin. The mill was completely restored in the late 1990s. It has three pairs of mill-stones including two French burr. Although the mill is in working order it does not seem to be operated commercially.



However the waterwheel can be operated and some of the internal workings can be seen to move. Within the buildings there are many devices associated with milling which are capable of being driven by water power.



These include threshing machines, seed-dressing machines and mechanical hoists. There is also an auxiliary Diesel engine which can operate some of the machinery.



The Diesel engine

The mill also contains a corn-kiln and the drying-floor may be inspected. The waterwheel was donated by a mill in Dunleer. It was originally an overshot wheel but this did not suit the design of Skerries Mill. It tended to drive everything in reverse. It was dismantled and rebuilt as a pitchback wheel.