60 Beragh Hill Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A five bay wide two and a half storey house with slated hipped roof and central fanlight doorway. It is three bays deep with 2no. two storey outbuildings to side and rear.

The entrance facade faces north east and has a glazed panel wooden door with half glazed side screens and shallow pilasters, light cornice and plain elliptical fanlight over. On either side there are two timber sliding sash windows, 12 panes. Above at first floor 5no. similar windows centred over openings below. At eaves level thereis a panelled frieze punctuated with single modillions, at close centres. The frieze continues round four elevations. Walls are finished with roughcast rendering having uncoloured and clasping smooth rendered quoins. On the other elevations the windows are haphazardly placed and are probably more related to internal arrangement.

While the roofs appear hipped they are triple with a narrower centre roof over staircase hall, not unlike Ballyarnett House, see (HB01/27/002). There are dark coloured ridge and hip tiles. Attic floor is lit by a series of Velux type roof lights. Chimneys occur at top of outside walls and one is on a ridge. Gutters are PVC with metal downpipes.

Behind the house is a two storey symmetrically composed barn with large three centred arched doorway centrally placed and small shuttered windows to either side and above. Over the arched doorway a loft door. Owner claims this building was a former mill ( probably threshing). Walls are constructed of random rubble and roof slated.

There is another outbuilding to the side of the house of similar size but not symmetrically composed.

The house enjoys an elevated site at the end of a short avenue leading at an angle from Beragh Hill Road. There are simple gate piers and double wrought iron gates. The grounds around the house are not well organised or laid out.

Historical information

A house is shown on the 1830 OSS 13 in the same location but it has a different plan form. Griffiths valuation of 1858 gives a valuation of £20 with the occupant being a George Thompson and the lessor the Marquis of Donegal. George Thompson may have been in the medical profession.

The present owners claim the house dates from 1740 and justifies this by reference to the thicker walls to the front. Their contention is that the house was extended to the rear. The present house certainly appears to date from the mid 19th century.

References:
Primary Sources:
OS Map 1st Edition 1830 Londonderry sheet 13,
OS Map 2ndt Edition 1848-52 Londonderry sheet 13,
Griffiths Valuation 1858

Secondary Sources:
Present owner (1999).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A pleasing composition of a mid-Victorian house in a neo-Georgian style enjoying pleasant views over rolling countryside. Good interior space with well preserved joinery and plaster detail.