McConville’s water powered Scutch Mill close to Dromore Co. Down provides a unique insight into the ancient craft of the scutcher who separated the fibre from the flax plant. Eugene McConville kindly showed us around his flax Mill on Tuesday. Eugene has a wealth of information about flax and the processes involved in harvesting flax and preparing it for sale into the Mills who turned it into yarn. He kindly donated samples of flax in various stages of the processes involved in scutching for our education programme. If you are interested in visiting the Mill tours can be booked by contacting McConville’s Mill.

WP_20150721_011 Eugene showing us the rippling process.

WP_20150721_020 Beats of Flax in the Mill

WP_20150721_019 Shuttles used in the weaving process.