Florence Court Sawmill.
 

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.

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.

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

 

Specifications of the Wheel.
Diameter 18 ft 4 inch  
Width 46 Inches  
Main Shaft Steel 5 Inches Dia Bearings Bronze
No of Spokes 12  
Size of Spokes 6 X 3 inches Oak 150 X 75 mm
No of Buckets. 48 Larch  
Method of Drive Ring gear an pinion Ring Bolted to Spokes
Ring Gear Cast Iron 10 ft (3.05 M) Dia 1.5 DP xx teeth in 12 sections
Pinion Cast Iron.    
Pinion Shaft 4 Inch Dia (100 mm)  
Inner drive pinion    
Lay Shaft 2 Inch (50 mm) Dia.  
Flat Pulley on lay shaft Fabricated wood  
Saw Type Circular rack saw, hand cranked.  
Saw Blade    
Overall gearing from wheel