Survey Data
Reg No
20844221
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Artistic, Technical
Previous Name
Bandon Distillery originally Allman's Distillery
Original Use
Distillery
In Use As
Shop/retail outlet
Date
1865 - 1875
Coordinates
150323, 55082
Date Recorded
10/06/2009
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Freestanding three-bay five-storey gable-fronted former distillery, dated 1870, having recent single-bay double-height lean-to store to rear (south-east). Now in use as retail outlet. Pitched corrugated-iron roof with rendered red brick gable copings and moulded red brick eaves course. Ceramic red brick tiles to eaves of side (north-east, south-west) elevations, having tooled stone corbels and rendered finials to side (south-east), having replacement aluminium rainwater goods. Roughly dressed stone block pedestal to gable of front (north-west) elevation with moulded red-brick corbels and capping. Dressed limestone walls with rusticated limestone quoins. Render date plaque flanked by sheaves of corn to third floor of front elevation. Camber-headed window openings with rendered red brick sills, red brick voussoirs and block-and-start surrounds throughout, having double-leaf timber battened shutters with wrought-iron window guards. Red and yellow brick polychrome voussoirs to front (north-west) elevation openings. Square-headed window openings to ground floor of side (north-east) elevation having chamfered reveals and wrought-iron window guards. Camber-headed loading bays having red brick voussoirs and block-and-start surrounds to rear and side (north-east) elevations, having double-leaf timber battened doors. Blocked former loading bays to fourth floor originally accommodating gantries linking associated building to north-east. Camber-headed door openings with red and yellow brick voussoirs to front elevation, having double-leaf timber battened doors with wrought-iron hinges and locking bar. Camber-headed door opening with moulded red brick voussoirs and block-and-start surrounds to side (north-east) elevation and fourth floor of rear elevation, having tooled limestone step and steel panelled door. Square-headed entrance having recent frieze and rolling steel battened rolling door.
Appraisal
This impressive large-scale building is an important reminder of Bandon's industrial heritage. The building remains relatively intact and retains its historic character through the retention of historic features such as camber-headed openings, polychrome brick, timber battened doors and date plaque. Forming part of a whiskey distillery which was established by James Allman in 1825, the American Prohibition Act resulted in its closure. It had an output of some 600,000 gallons of whiskey in 1886, providing employment not only directly to its several hundred workers, but also indirectly to many local farmers as it was a ready market for their grain.