Convent of Mercy

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A large stone built 2 storey house with many stepped gables of varying size, natural slated pitched roofs with moulded stone chimneys and having attics and basement. The style is severe with Scottish Baronial overtones.

The west and main entrance decoration is some 8 or 9 bays wide having a central square projecting entrance bay, one storey high with recessed arched opening containing an almost diminutive square headed door. The entrance is at the end of a higher ridged part which thrusts forward and at the other end another projecting single storey bay likewise with a flat roof. Behind these bays 2 narrow stepped gables break the roofline and that behind the entrance rises another storey. Windows generally are narrow and tall in groups of 2 and 3 and some singles. Multiple windows are divided by stone transoms and mullions. Over the entrance bay coupled windows are all capped with angular pediment, while, over the other, a segmented pediment. This block which is 3 rooms deep contains the principal spaces.

To the north of the entrance and set back from it is a lower two storey wing which terminates in the kitchen with its separate entrances. The kitchen wing thrusts forward with a crow stepped gable and its round headed mysterious entrance has a lean-to roof. Windows are again a mixture of singles, doubles and triplets with two round headed singles at first floor abutting the higher block. Over these a pleasing oculus, one of the few refinements in the overall composition.

Chimneys are tall, rising well above the ridge line, built in ashlarwork with rounded narrow sides and with moulded bands and caps. Roofs are steep pitched and there are two, two light dormers with square heads on the higher roof.

Walls are built of snecked sandstone obtained from Dungiven. Windows are timber, painted white. Kitchen windows are wider and taller and divided in five panes, not unlike those in the stable block (see HB no. 01-25-001D). There are no roof overhangs with a simple plain string course under cast iron gutters with matching rectangular downpipes. Where necessary there are trunkheads.

The north elevation of the kitchen wing is three bays long with a double pitched projecting porch at the NE end. The porch has crow stepped gable with a pair of round headed windows and oculus placed centrally over. The windows on this side are irregularly spaced and square headed with sliding sashes on first floor. To the side of the projecting porch, steps lead down to basement doorway. The steep pitched roof has three no. two light dormers.

The east elevation has some symmetry in the composition of the high block which thrust boldly forward from the service wing. It is five bays long with stepped gables at each end projecting forward and containing between a veranda with curved metal roof supported on slender cast iron columns. A central polygonal bay pushes through the veranda roof and forms a steep sloped pyramid roof.

Each end bay has large square windows at ground and first floor, subdivided with sandstone mullions and transoms. The intermediate windows are two light similarly divided on first floor while at ground floor these become French windows. One bay of the veranda is open, the other two have metal decorated balustrading.

The service wing has a mixture of square and round headed windows. A group of three windows to the service staircase express its semi circular flights. The gable of the main block has irregularly spaced two light windows and the return walls of the bays are punctuated with single light square headed fenestration. Usually each stepped gable sports a slender round headed window. Unfortunately this gable has a recent square window fitted.

The south elevation has changed since the convent chapel was added in the 1960s. However it is a repeat of the others with square and round headed windows displaced here and there and a rectangular bay at ground floor on the west gable. There is a contemporary narrow conservatory which abuts the connecting porch to the chapel. Originally there was a curved glass roof conservatory. (See slides c1920).

Thornhill enjoys a magnificent site on the west bank of the River Foyle where it flows between Rosses Bay and Culmore. Set on sloping ground well elevated above the river, panoramic views are had of the surrounding landscape. The grounds around the house are well laid out with mature trees dotted in lawns. From the veranda steps lead down to a formal path which dips to the river. Further down and to the side of it is a cemetery for deceased members of the community, ( Sisters of Mercy ). A winding avenue sweeps from the Culmore Road past the former walled garden which is presently a commercial nursery.

Historical information

A long low building existed on this site in the 18th century and was enlarged to an L-shaped plan illustrated on the O.S. Map of 1832. The map shows the site landscaped with double avenue approach. The O.S. Memoir records a William Leathem in residence and the Thornhill property belonged to Captain Hart. The Griffith Valuation of 1856 indicated a Rev H Scott a lessee with a valuation of £23-0-0 and Leathem as Lessor. Later in the century Watt acquired the property and began building in 1882.

Andrew Alexander Watt was the owner of distilleries in Abbey Street and Waterside. These distilleries, especially the Abbey Street enterprise had immense production with an output of 1,260,000 gallons of Patent Grain Whisky in 1887. The Waterside distillery produced Old Pot Still Whisky (Bernard’s spelling). Watts distillery in Abbey Street was acquired by the Watt family in 1826 and greatly enlarged thereafter.

Watt does not appear to have taken much interest in the political scene but he most interested himself in the social environment and kept well equipped stables and horses.

The distillery closed down in the 1920’s and the nuns of the Convent of Mercy acquired the property in 1928 and a college for girls was established in it in 1932, the boarding pupils occupying the attics converted to dormitories. The nuns made little change to the house apart from rooms changing use. Chimney pieces, mouldings, disposition of windows and doors have remained relatively unchanged.

In 1998 the entire premises were renovated and exterior and interior is in very good order. Architects Loughrey & Agnew.

References

Primary Sources
1. UAFP O.S. Map 1832 Co Londonderry No.13.
2. UAFP O.S. Map 1st Rev. 1856 Co Londonderry No. 13
3. Griffiths Valuation 1831 Parish of Templemore TD Ballynashallog.
4. Griffiths Valuation 1856 Parish of Templemore TD Ballynashallog.
5. Ordnance Survey Memoirs of City and North West Liberties of Londonderry
6. Convent of Mercy

Secondary Sources
1. A Rowan Buildings of Ireland North West Ulster p.p. 402, 403.
2. J.A.K. Dean The Gate Lodge of Ulster p.121
3. Alfred Barnard: The Whisky Distilleries of the United Kingdom p.440-443

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
V. Authorship
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance

Evaluation

A substantial Victorian Villa in a severe almost harsh, Scottish Baronial style with Tudor influences, well constructed in Dungiven sandstone, magnificently sited on the west bank of the River Foyle and built as a fine home for one of the most prosperous of the City of Derry merchants.Well preserved by the present owners. Set in well laid out grounds with good mature planting and fine avenue approaches. The generous landscaped gardens around the house are an essential part of its ambience.