The Mill Completed in 1776, a time of relative peace and considerable prosperity in Ireland, Slane Mill was the biggest flour mill in the country at that time.

Its granaries held 5000 barrels. Its an excellent example of Georgian industrial architecture.

Though somewhat dilapidated it is still relatively intact, its flat, grey lime-stone walls relieved by the well-proportioned windows with their projecting cut-stone surrounds.

The Mill House, in the same style, has an elegant Georgian doorway.

Slane Mill survived the repeal of the Corn Laws and the Great Famine of 1848, but its grindstones were overtaken by technology when roller milling was introduced in the 1870s.

The Mill gradually became derelict until it was revived as a flax-scutching mill in the 1920s. In the 1930s flour bags instead of flour were manufactured.

Weaving and spinning continued here and in a new factory nearby until the 1990s. Slane Manufacturing Company was the only factory in Ireland producing sheets from raw cotton.

The business closed in 1994 and the old mill is now used by small industries.

 In the 18th century the Boyne Canal was built to make the river navigable from Drogheda to Navan.

Horse-drawn barges carried coal, grain and flour to and from the many mills along the river.

Pleasure boats plied the route for a while in the 19th century, bringing tourists to Newgrange and Slane.

Beside the 14th century Slane Bridge are two iron gates with cut-stone piers giving access to the tow-paths.

The tow-path upstream leads past the weir and continues along the river bank past Slane Castle with its fine parkland and splendid trees.

It passes Slane Castle Lock, then Lover’s Leap ( a white rock in wooded escarpment ), into Beau Parc estate with its classical mansion.

The fisherman’s path continues to Carrickdexter Weir. The ruined Dexter Castle is on the opposite bank.

Downstream the tow-path goes to Ros na Ri Mill, passing a derelict eel-weir and ‘the Tunnel’, a natural arch in a 6m high rocky outcrop, through which the canal was cut.

The double lock and stone bridge at Ros na Ri are fine examples of canal engineering.

The path continues to Oldbridge, site of the Battle of the Boyne.