Newmills Flax Mill

Newmills Flax Mill is situated on the Churchill road, beside Newmills Bridge in the small townland of Milltown.  It features one of the largest, working waterwheels in the country. Powered by a millrace nearly 1 km in length, it is powerful enough to power two separate mill wheels – one for grinding oats and barley, and the other for flax.

Flax and corn mills have been located on this site since the early nineteenth century. The mills were sold to John Divine in 1861 by, the then owner, Joseph Hunter.  In 1892 Patrick Gallagher purchased the mills from John Divine’s son, William. The business continued up to the death of P.F. Gallagher (John’s son) in 1980.

Newmills Flax Mill is one  of only a  few monuments of industrial archaeology in state care.

You can read more about Flax and Corn mills in Donegal and Ulster here