Historic Offaly Mill is sold

The historic Charlestown Mill in Clara has been sold. The property came on the market last April with an asking price of €150,000.

The property comprises 0.483 Ha of land zoned mixed use in the 2021 County Development Plan. The identity of the new owner remains a mystery at present.

Described in the National Inventory of architectural Heritage as a ”detached eight-bay three-storey former mill, built in 1853, with derelict outbuildings to north. Now disused.

The Mill was built by the Goodbody family and according to the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage is the sole surviving structure of an extensive mill complex along the banks of the Brosna.

”The Goodbody’s first began operations in Clara in 1826, and built extensively. One of their mills was burnt down in 1918, which could possibly have been the buildings shown to the rear of this structure on the Ordnance Survey map. Although now in a dilapidated state of repair, this building remains structurally sound and attests to the building skills at the time of construction. This proud building stands as a reflection of the industrial heritage of Clara, once a thriving industrial town,” states the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

The building is set back from the street and features a pitched slate roof with ruled and lined chimney stacks and some cast-iron rainwater goods. It has segmental-headed window openings with blocked windows. The building is listed.

In 2019 An Taisce wrote ”This building urgently requires new uses to be identified to prevent integral features being gradually lost.”