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Report - - Gilford Mill, Co. Armagh, July 2020 | Industrial Sites | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - Gilford Mill, Co. Armagh, July 2020

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jh1

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
This mill has been covered at least twice before on here, the Dunbar McMaster ltd mill is quite compact, and had started to be redeveloped but work stopped quite sometime ago.

For a better history than I could ever come up with see the link below;
"In spite of difficult conditions, Hugh Dunbar McMaster carried on a very successful flax spinning and thread manufacturing business. Huge sums of money were used to improve the layout of the works, the erection of new buildings and the installation of plant and machinery. A large reservoir near the works was erected for fire extinguishing and was connected with hydrants and hose in every part of the mills, so that a conflagration that occurred in 1869 when £40,000 worth of property was destroyed, was not likely to happen again. Towards the end of the century, the Gilford mill complex was reckoned to be unsurpassed in the whole of the British Isles in the completeness of its resources for all the processes of the industry."

I had looked on google maps and plotted a way in. Little did I know it wouldn't be necessary as the access to the site was crazy obvious, access to the buildings was only a little bit less obvious, It was mostly underwhelming for me, very little in the way of detail remains anywhere in the site but I spent a good two hours before deciding to depart. As I made my way towards my entry point I heard a tonne of rustling, and then saw someone blocking it. My plan at that immediate moment was to stay put, and try to watch the person leave before either unblocking or finding an alternative. I spotted the person walking away, then a few seconds later heard the distinct sound of galvanised gates being opened. I took my go pro off and waited to see him walk into the site, he walked round the back and as soon as he turned the corner I made for the gate he'd just opened. I knew he'd be at least a few minutes so opened it as quietly as you can open a galvanised gate, slipped out and drove home.

Got up today and couldn't find my go pro - ended up driving back and it was lying in the grass right where I had taken it off! So lucky!
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HughieD

28DL Regular User
Regular User
You got a decent set of pix there. And lol at that letter for the bloke who got warned for getting to the canteen 5 minutes early to get all the pies!
 
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dweeb

28DL Regular User
Regular User
Good find, love old ephemera! Obviously wanted the pick of the grub!
 
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Calamity Jane

i see beauty in the unloved, places & things
Regular User
Nicely covered, lots of areas Ive not seen before. Good report this. That bird shot is in both the other reports and still makes me feel sorry for it. lol. Poor thing, its claim to fame is being documented by us lol. :thumb
 
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jh1

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Nicely covered, lots of areas Ive not seen before. Good report this. That bird shot is in both the other reports and still makes me feel sorry for it. lol. Poor thing, its claim to fame is being documented by us lol. :thumb

I'm calling the top floor the pigeon graveyard, there are so many in various states of decay, never seen as many in my life. Most interesting was the dead bird lying beside a cracked egg, (photo didn't make the cut) and the white dove that came in and flew into a few windows before finding a perch.
 

jh1

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Good find, love old ephemera! Obviously wanted the pick of the grub!

Yeah I love finding anything with a bit of writing in it to get a sense of what was going on in the place at the time. I've wondered who observed Barry 5 minutes early, why the canteen can't be entered until 1300 exactly, wether CHJacksons tone was normal for the time and place, and what the fact they write their name using a ruler says about them.... I also found a booklet from the local library dated 1979 where they listed all the new editions available to borrow.
 

Urbex_NI

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Nice report jh1, this is my home town and have spent many a day inside there!
 
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SprNva

28DL Member
28DL Member
a few more

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I got a good laugh out of this.
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Thanks for looking!
This mill has been covered at least twice before on here, the Dunbar McMaster ltd mill is quite compact, and had started to be redeveloped but work stopped quite sometime ago.

For a better history than I could ever come up with see the link below;
"In spite of difficult conditions, Hugh Dunbar McMaster carried on a very successful flax spinning and thread manufacturing business. Huge sums of money were used to improve the layout of the works, the erection of new buildings and the installation of plant and machinery. A large reservoir near the works was erected for fire extinguishing and was connected with hydrants and hose in every part of the mills, so that a conflagration that occurred in 1869 when £40,000 worth of property was destroyed, was not likely to happen again. Towards the end of the century, the Gilford mill complex was reckoned to be unsurpassed in the whole of the British Isles in the completeness of its resources for all the processes of the industry."

I had looked on google maps and plotted a way in. Little did I know it wouldn't be necessary as the access to the site was crazy obvious, access to the buildings was only a little bit less obvious, It was mostly underwhelming for me, very little in the way of detail remains anywhere in the site but I spent a good two hours before deciding to depart. As I made my way towards my entry point I heard a tonne of rustling, and then saw someone blocking it. My plan at that immediate moment was to stay put, and try to watch the person leave before either unblocking or finding an alternative. I spotted the person walking away, then a few seconds later heard the distinct sound of galvanised gates being opened. I took my go pro off and waited to see him walk into the site, he walked round the back and as soon as he turned the corner I made for the gate he'd just opened. I knew he'd be at least a few minutes so opened it as quietly as you can open a galvanised gate, slipped out and drove home.

Got up today and couldn't find my go pro - ended up driving back and it was lying in the grass right where I had taken it off! So lucky!
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How was it to get in? I hear a lot about Hogweed and infrared cameras. Any guards?
 

jh1

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Plenty of cameras, and they are powered, there’s some wireless thing too so I guess it’s remotely monitored. I only really noticed them once I was in, access would be difficult except wheni arrived there was a ladder sitting ready to go. When had been in and out again and was wrapping up someone arrived, unlocked the main gated round to where the deer was. They’d have to have been blind not to have seen me it said nothing. I took the opportunity while he was presumably remiving the ladder to walk out the gate he opened….. it’s worth a look but don’t be disappointed if you can’t get in.
 
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