Learmount Castle

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A double pile two storey five bay wide ashlar stone faced building. It is symmetrically composed with semi-circular flight of seven steps leading up to central projecting porch. The whole is raised on a basement extending under the entire ground floor. The main facade faces slightly west of north and overlooks the Faughan valley where the river forms a great ox-bow enclosing an extensive meadow. From the east gable projects the remains of an earlier house, demolished during the ownership of the Department of Agriculture and to the rear of the house, across a garden area, a two storey stable block in coursed rough stonework with openings trimmed with brick. To the west of the house and extending southwards there is an unkempt walled garden of approximately 0.54 hectares.

Presently the edifice stands in the middle of woodland called Learmount Forest with two long avenue approaches from the Learmount Road where formerly there were gate lodges and gates. As the house has been derelict for some years (last use - youth hostel) the avenues are overgrown. Likewise openings of the house are boarded up.

The basement walls are built of rough coursed stonework with windows arranged in sequence with the upper floor windows trimmed with redbrick. From the plinth string course the ashlar stonework continues to the parapet wall and is returned along one bay on the west and east gables, except on the latter where the wall is smooth rendered. This is where the former wing abutted. The stonework to the rear facade is similar to that of the basement except on the central bay breakfront . Here the ashlar stonework is repeated and likewise to the window trims. Projecting string courses delineate the first floor and the ceiling level.On the main elevation there is a central breakfront and the parapet is articulated with a series of pediments echoing the five bays with a little more elaboration to the central one. Each pediment sports a pointed finial. Over the windows, with their chamfered reveals there is a square headed hood moulding. The projecting porch has a flat roof with parapet and over the entrance door this is stepped to allow incorporation of the Beresford coat of arms and the top step was crowned with a stag’s head (now missing). Two sculpted masks terminated the hood moulding over the door, one is missing and the other damaged. On the flanking walls of the porch narrow tall windows light the internal space and, while most windows are square headed, these and the doorway have shallow pointed moulded heads. The central pediments of the main facade repeat those of the gables. Interestingly on the west side one bay dominates the other with more elaborate detailing, ashlar stonework and a canted bay window to the drawing room.

The double pile slated roofs are divided by a long valley gutter and the leadwork has perished, allowing water to pour into the interior. There are four great chimney stacks each with five tall decorative pots.

The two storey stable block is faced with stonework similar to the rough stonework of the main building and the openings trimmed with red brick. It has a symmetrically arranged facade facing the house with two projecting hipped pavilions and central pediment. It is six bays long with four segmental headed ground floor gateways and over each at first floor, a single window.

In the pediment there is an oculus and the roofs are slated. The back elevation has openings haphazardly arranged with external stairway to first floor and the central pediment of the main facade repeated. The gables have no openings. The block was badly fire damaged. ( In Spring 2000 this building was being converted for residential use. )

The lower walls of the demolished former wing have been retained and these show the remains of turrets at the ends.

Historical information

Originally a long low building c1730 with square return c1800 having turrets at corners and built during Captain Montgomery’s ownership. This square return partially remains. The later works erected around 1830 for Henry de la Poer Beresford was probably designed by J B Keane. The property was purchased by the Department of Agriculture after the second World War and during the war the castle became a refuge for a secondary school and afterwards served as a youth hostel.

References:
Primary Sources:
1. OS Map 1831 Co Londonderry 29
2. 'Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland Vol.28. Parishes of County Londonderry IX', ed Angelique Day & Patrick McWilliams (QUB, 1995) p.8
3. H. B. Records file

Secondary Sources:
1. J A K Deane 'The Gate Lodges of Ulster' (UAHS, Belfast, 1994) p.117
2. Young 'Belfast and the province of Ulster in the 20th century' p 251.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
W. Northern Ireland/International Interest
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A good example of late Georgian neo Tudoresque style of country house set in a prominent elevated site overlooking the River Faughan. Similar to the 19th century work at Necarne Castle by J B Keane.