Patterson's Spade Mill - Templepatrick

Listen to the large hammer, smell the furnace, feel the heat and witness the thrill of the only surviving water-driven spade mill in Ireland. Visitors can watch as red hot pieces of steel are removed from the forge and formed into spades using the mill’s massive trip hammer, which is water powered.
Patterson’s Spade Mill is the last working water-driven spade mill in daily use in the British Isles. Before 1750, most spades in Ireland were made by blacksmiths, but by the early to mid-19th century, spades were produced in specialised mills, such as we see here at Patterson's Spade Mill.

[@williamlowry438]

I live just down the road

[@wboyle9721]

Hi William you may be related to me my ancestors came from donegore and tenplepatrick Beck Henderson I have your surname in my family tree from the Beck side

[@gaslight5]

Brilliant

[@outaboutnorthernireland9671]

Matty Shields - Many thanks for viewing “Patterson’s Spade Mill” - very interesting place to visit and gives (and preserves) a little glimpse of a bygone era!

[@williamlowry438]

I live just down the road from it