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Original Location: Gorticashel townland, Gortin, County Tyrone
Scutching is the process of extracting the linen fibres from the stem of the flax. Originally done by hand, the process was mechanised during the second half of the 18th century. Mills were sited on suitable rivers in flax-growing areas as the weight loss in scutching would make it wholly uneconomical to transport the flax to centralised locations to be scutched.
After the flax was pulled (cutting would result in shorter fibres) and retted (softened and partially rotted by immersion in still water) and dried, it was passed through the cogged rollers to break up the outer layer and the woody core. The first scutcher then guided the bundle of flax stems into the path of the spinning scutching blades to remove the unwanted material. The next scutcher repeated the process with the blades at a finer setting until all the unwanted material was removed and a bundle of flax fibres was left.
Working in a scutch mill was a highly dangerous occupation. The workers were at risk from machinery that could not be stopped quickly in an emergency; the air was thick with dust that was unhealthy and there was an ever-present danger of fire. On at least two occasions this mill was seriously damaged by fire.
Scutching was an autumnal activity. Flax was pulled in July/August, retted for six to eight weeks and then dried. Mills would collect the flax from the locality and scutch the lot, fitting the work conveniently around other farm work. Since it was an indoor job it could be done once the year's outside work was completed, giving the mill owner the advantage of a cash-earning activity during the autumn and winter.
