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Florence
Court Sawmill is located on the Florence Court
estate near Enniskillen County Fermanagh it is owned by the National
Trust, and is open to the public, the mill was built in the early
1800's to process timber grown on the estate. Visitors to Florence
Court can see the mill in operation as it runs constantly during
the summer months, there is usually a timber cutting demonstration
in May, contact the house for full details. Water to drive the mill
comes fron the Arney River.
In 1997 the sawmill and waterwheel
were surveyed and the driving ring gear on the wheel and the pinion
which it drove were found to be excessively worn, as was the pinion
shaft and bronze bearings in which it ran. The ring gear was 10
ft (3.05 M) in diameter and consisted of twelve cast iron sections
bolted to brackets which were in turn bolted to the spokes of the
water wheel.
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The job
of replacing the the ring gear was entrusted to Roy Meakin of
Newcastle, who set about making a wooden pattern which was required
before new sections could be cast, at the same time he made a
pattern for the pinion, when these were finished the twelve ring
sections and pinion were cast in iron, the ring sections required
just to be cleaned up.
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The old bronze bearings were filled
out with car filler and used as patterns to cast new ones, which were
machined to fit
the pinion shaft which had been cleaned up in the lathe.
The pinion was turned to size, keyed
internally and sent to have the teeth cut on it, this was done by Don
Shields of Limavady gears, one of the few companies left in the country
with the equipment and know-how to do this kind of work.
In late may each year a timber cutting
demonstration is held, this is an excellent opportunely to see one of
the many ways water was put to use in the mid 19th century. This event
is in the very capable hands of Mr. Bert Robinson former clerk of works
for the National Trust, Bert will be only too happy to explain the workings
of the mill to you.
| Jim
Chestnutt (Property Manager)
Florence Court,
Enniskillen,
Co Fermanagh,
Tel: +44 (028) 66348249
Fax: +44 (028) 6634 8873
E
Mail
Web Site |
Grounds:
October to March: 10.00 - 16.00
April to September: 10.00 - 20.00
House:
March 12 to May: 12.00 - 18.00 - Weekends & Bank/Public Holidays
(incl. 25 Mar-1 April)
Mon Fri (except Tues) 12.00-18.00 weekends
July & August: 12.00-18.00 daily
September: 12.00 - 18.00 weekends
1-9 October: 13.00 - 17.00 weekends
Last tour 1 hour before closing
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