County: Cork Site name: Island Mills, Mill Road, Fermoy
Sites and Monuments Record No.: CO035-025 Licence number: 17E0643
Author: Patricia Long, Rubicon Heritage Services Ltd
Site type: Mill complex
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 581510m, N 598699m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.139839, -8.270119
Test excavations were carried out for PORTAL Architects on behalf of UHPC International Ltd at Island Mills, Mill Road, Co. Cork.
The proposed development site is located on the south bank of the River Blackwater in the town of Fermoy. The c. 1.4 ha site is occupied by two large structures, a mill building (CO035-025), and a modern two-storey office building, as well as a former on-site car park. A modern link corridor links the mill and the modern building. The mill building itself has been modified over time and converted to office space c. 1990, with a modern porch and annex added to the southern side. The site is currently vacant, having been most recently occupied by BUPA Healthcare.
The mill complex which lies in the core of the proposed development area is a Recorded Monument (CO035-025), a Protected Structure (RPS 200) and is recorded on the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (Reg. No. 2081055). It is known from cartographic sources that the mill complex was originally much more extensive than the standing remains, and there is high potential for associated structural remains to survive sub-surface.
The proposed works involve removing the link corridor and modern annex to the mill and constructing an extension to the modern building, a new linking entranceway and a new standalone dispensary building to the south of the mill building. It is probable that groundworks associated with the proposed development will impact on the sub-surface remains of the historic larger mill complex. Any possible impacts on the standing mill building have been considered in a separate architectural report accompanying the planning application prepared by David Slattery Architect & Historic Buildings Consultant.
A draft archaeological impact assessment was prepared (Shiels 2017) which proposed that testing the footprint of the proposed development prior to construction would be required.
Test trenching uncovered the remains of an interior flagstone floor surface, external wall and exterior cobbled yard. All uncovered features are associated with the mill complex.
Sheils, D. 2017 A Draft Archaeological, Architectural and Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment of lands at a proposed development site at Island Mills, Mill Road, Fermoy, Co. Cork Unpublished report by Rubicon Heritage Services for Portal Architects on behalf of UHPC International Ltd.
Unit 2, Europa Enterprise Park, Midleton, Co. Cork
