Hilden Mill in the Snow, by Neil Shawcross MBE, RHA, RUA, c. 1985 (oil on canvas, ILC&LM Collection, copyright Neil Shawcross)
The artist was inspired to paint this scene when witnessing the red-brick mass of Hilden Mill vividly set against the white of surrounding snow. Linen thread-making was established by the Barbour family near Plantation House, Lisburn, in 1784. They moved their business to Hilden c. 1823 (200 years ago) and by the late nineteenth century Barbour’s Hilden Mill was reputedly the largest linen-thread works in the world.
This painting is currently on loan to Hillsborough Castle.
Learn more about Hilden Mill and the Barbours at our exhibition, Hilden Mill 200 Years: portraits of the Barbours (open until March 2024). Click here for more details.