Randall Mill House,

Co. Wexford.

Documenting our Heritage

As recorded in the Civil Survey 1652-1654, the land around the mill had once belonged to Edward Masterson. Masterson was taken prisoner by Cromwell's army and carried off to Dublin in 1642. On 7th January 1681 the lands were granted to a Mr Francis Randall from Hampshire, England. Francis was a member of the Religious Society of Friends and organised meetings of Quakers in various houses around Wexford.

When Francis Randall died, the property passed to his son, Samuel Randall, who is recorded as being a 'merchant of Cork'. Samuel rebuilt the mill in 1712 and in 1786 his son built the adjoining house, described as 'a gentleman's residence' which still remains on the site today. The date 1786,1849 is recorded in a small plaque attached to the house.

The mill continued to be operated by various Quaker families until it was purchased by John Murphy in 1908.

The 1911 Census records the occupants of the mill house as: John Murphy, age 50, farmer; Julieth Kavanagh, age 60, general servant; John Etchingham, age 24, general labourer and Catharine Kehoe, age 20, visiting dressmaker.

The mill house remained occupied until the 1970s, after which it was abandoned and let fall into ruin.

A number of hornbeam trees still grow at the side of the house. These trees which are not native to Ireland provided hard wood for use in the cog wheels of the mill. Due to its strength, the wood is sometimes referred to as iron-wood.

Nothing remains of the mill wheel or the mill stones but some evidence of the mill workings are still barely visible beneath the undergrowth.

This article is the copyright of Tarquin Blake, Abandoned Ireland, and may not be reproduced in any form without permission.