The Rhinns

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A 2 ½ storey redbrick house with gables and bays and steep pitched roofs in an Arts and Crafts style.

The entrance elevation has central entrance with canted bays on either side. That on the south side is 2 storeys high the flat roof of which rising above the eaves to form a balcony to the dormer of an attic bedroom. The bay on the N side begins at 1st floor supported on the flat roof of a canopy across the front entrance and extending to the side of the house. This bay has a ½ pyramid roof extending up into a gable and above a simple 2 light window lighting on attic.

The double entrance doors are panelled with upper glazing with side screens and fanlight. The flat roof canopy is supported on 3 columns obscured by climbing shrubs and the canopy edge finished as a moulded cornice. To the side of entrance and below the canopy a single s/s 2 pane window. The canted bay has 3 sash windows which are repeated at first floor. The first floor bay has 3 similar windows. In each of these windows the bottom sash is high and the upper smaller sash glazed with small square leaded lights. The canopy forms a balcony over the entrance with neat balustrading with simple balusters stretched between the facing canted sides of the bays. French doors from the first floor landing open onto this balcony.

The slated roof of the house extends down between the 2 bays to form a roof over the balcony and supported on a wide bracketed and fretted timber segmental arch. The window cills at first floor are extended to form string course which returns partly on the S side and fully on the N side.

The 2 storey bay is capped with a bold cornice and neat canted balustrading. The dormer opening onto the bay balcony is 2 light casement with flat roof. The roofs are slated with Bangor blue and ridge red with cresting. Chimneys stacks redbrick with plinth and moulded caps with red chimney pots.

On the south side there is a small single pitched conservatory and a side door with glazed porch and single pitched slated roof. Above a large staircase window which has good stained glass as has the inner door to the side porch.

On the N side there is a rectangular bay with single pitched slated roof with glazed lights all round, exposed rafter ends and the gables of the roof decorated with bracket and exposed rafters. There are well formed eaves with flat soffits and verges and good C.I. ogee gutters and C.I. downpipes.

To the rear there is a storey back return with lower ridge line, part of roof extends downwards to cover a small projection in the angle.

The house, free standing, in a large garden at the junction of the Greenhaw, Steelstown and Culmore Roads. The garden has a terrace to the front appears to be as first laid out. The entrance avenue is to one side of the garden.

Behind and to the side of the house a 2 storey small barn in a derelict state. It fronts onto the Steelstown Road.

Historical information

Owner states the house was built in 1900 by a builder names McGuiness as a wedding gift for his daughter. It was later the residence of W.S. Ferguson, teacher in Foyle College and Co - Author of Buildings of City of Derry. Later in 1954 a Rev. Montgomery was in residence followed by a Col. Harvey and the present owner purchased the house in 1978.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

An example of Arts and Crafts style domestic building which has retained all its original detail, in particular the stained glass in doors and screens and the square leaded lights to the upper sashes of the windows. However does not merit listing.