Outbuildings

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A former stone built 2 storey outbuilding (barn ) to the rear of Drumcovit House now converted to 3 apartments .

The N elevation which overlooks former farmyard, is 9 bays long and the existing door and window openings of the former outbuildings are retained as far as possible so that the former character and ambience survives. The wall is constructed of random rubble stonework with redbrick trim to openings on ground floor some of which are slightly altered. At first floor opening reveals are in stone. Some openings on ground floor retain timber beam heads. Openings are infilled with mixture of hardwood and softwood framed doors and windows with clear finish. Gutters are metal, half round, downpipes round. Roof slated in natural slates with clay ridge. There are 2 small chimney stacks and 2 velux windows.

The west gable has neither door nor window and is entirely of stone. Another outbuilding which was at right angles has been removed.

The south elevation, which overlooks a gravel terrace is similarly treated as the N side and in a successful manner.Most of the openings however are new. The terrace is separated from the former kitchen garden by a low random rubble stone wall and another wall at right angles to the chalets separates them from the S elevation of the main house.

Across the farmyard and beyond a stone wall is an interesting low lean-to sheep or pig outhouses laid out in an L plan with enclosing walls and separate cobbled yard. The roofs are slated, main walls stone and the supporting piers a mixture of brick and wooden posts. A pair of decorative gates give access from the back laneway.

In the stone wall between farmyard and the sheep yard is the remains of a metal bearing for a mill wheel shaft. Formerly there was a mill wheel on the farmyard side. It was fed by water carried in a flume which crossed the back lane as a bridge. The mill race flowed along the other side of the back lane from an elongated mill pond further up in the side of the lane. Remains of race, pond and sluice in existence. The overflow flowed down a sheugh in the laneway.

The farm buildings placed to the rear and west side of Drumcovit House had a secondary laneway access from the Feeny Road, though there was also access from the house avenue through a wrought iron gate and stone piers at the N gable of the house.

Historical information

The converted barn is shown on the O.S. Map of 1830, though it is probably contemporary with the older part of the house. The mill pond and sheep house are not shown but appear on the 1905 O.S. Map Rev and probably date from the 1870s. The mill pond, race and mill wheel are defunct, and the flume bridge gone. The conversion of the barn to apartments was completed in 1998, architect Caroline Dickson.

References

Primary Sources
1. O.S. Map 1830 Londonderry sh. 30
2. O.S. Map 1830 Rev. 1905 Londonderry sh. 30
3. O.S. Memoirs of Ireland, Parishes of Co Londonderry X, 1833-34, 1838
Ed by Angelique Day and Patrick McWilliams Q.U.B. p. 61, 72, 99

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

An 18th cent. stone built farm building successfully converted to 3 holiday apartments yet contriving to retain the character of the former, keeping random rubble stone walls, existing door and window openings and so preserving aspects of 18th and 19th cent. husbandry.