Millbrook House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two storey three bay house with kitchen return. Original treatment of exterior obscured by applied timber painted black and modern render painted white which was added in the early 1970s. Natural slate roof, cast iron gutters on part of the building, timber windows. The three upper windows on the entrance facade appear as dormers, while on the ground floor, two 19th century 2pane sash windows light the reception rooms to each side of a 1980s timber porch. The kitchen return was demolished and rebuilt in 1995 to a larger size and contains a dormer which is out of proportion to the rest of the building.

To the rear of the building are the original stables also re-rendered with timber applied and with felt slate roofs. An open fireplace with original wrought iron crane and cooking implements is preserved in the corner of the space now used as a garage but was once the servants quarters. Another barn has an unusual horned roof which is of modern construction. A water wheel of small diameter was found inside a barn by the present owner and is now displayed at this point. There is no evidence of there ever being a mill race near the house, though a mill did stand a quarter of a mile away.

Behind these barns is located a further barn which is still in use as stables. In a rectangular field beside this, a group of tall straight beech trees are planted around the perimeter. Originally there were thirteen, reputedly planted for the thirteen apprentice boys of Derry. There are now ten. ( The nearby road was built in 1968 and could account for this.) The house is approached along a short tree lined avenue, there are two old ash and oak trees in the courtyard.

Historical information

Claimed by owner to be 250 years old which would give a date of 1747 which is consistent with the doors in the entrance hall. Built (according to the owner) as the manse of 1st Glendermott Presbyterian Church (HB01/08/003) and sold off in the 1870s when the present manse (HB01/08/013) was built in the grounds of Strathmore house (the manse of the 2nd Presbyterian Church) (HB01/08/008). ( Nb. it is not recorded as a manse in the OS Maps or Griffiths Valuation). As mentioned above, a doctor lived in the house at the turn of the century and used the basement as a mortuary. The Gault family lived in the building for most of this century selling to the present owner in 1972.

References
Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Co Londonderry Vol:34
Griffiths Valuation of 1858
Present owner (1997).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

House and outbuildings of moderate historical interest. Altered too much in recent years to merit listing.