Ardmore Lodge (House)

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A long rambling two storey 11 bay long house with chamfered and canted projections to front and rear with kitchen back return. Natural slated pitched roofs. Front canted two storey projecting bay has polygonal hips and the other two storey projecting bay a flat roof incongruously thrusting through the front pitch and finishing almost level with the ridge. The walls are smooth rendered with a frieze under the roof soffits and decorated wooden modillions made of three pieces of timber clamped together. There are shallow sunken rectangular panels between the ground and first floor windows of the flat roofed projecting bay decorated with meagre swags. Windows have sliding timber sashes varying between 12 and 15 panes, while those in the canted bay have two large panes each. There are several entrance doors to the principal front because the house is divided. The front elevation faces north west.

The house is sited a short distance below the Drumsurn Road close to the valley bottom of the Castle River and strung out with the slope of the ground. Presently the residence is having a major renovation so the grounds are unkempt and the house chaotic. The owner resides mostly in America and was the author of Macrory report on local Government Re-organisation in N Ireland in the early 1970s.

Adjacent to the house are two mills - see separate descriptions. (HB02/08/015 & HB02/08/016).

Historical information

The Macrory’s came to Ardmore Lodge in 1822 from Castledawson where they operated a mill and continued in the same business. Although the Ordnance Survey Memoir states the house was built in 1831 there probably existed a house on the site on their arrival. A Robert Millar was in possession before the Macrory’s. Dwelling house at that time was a two storey white washed with slated roof. The milling business was extended with the erection of a 2nd mill nearer the house c1840 and the creation of a large pond c1842 to ensure a more steady flow of water to the mills. During the famine 45 acres was bought with aid of loan from Board of Works and machinery was adapted to suit grinding of Indian corn. Macrory became a director of the Great Northern Railway. However in 1853 sale of the house and premises was considered and advertised and the house described as being parlour, drawing room, five large airy bedrooms, 1 W.C., pantries, kitchen, scullery, dairy etc and water supplied to the whole house being piped from the pond. S Macrory became chairman of the Limavady to Dungiven railway and he took advantage of this to purchase prefabricated chalets from Sweden which were delivered by rail to a site adjoining the railway and on which he assembled the chalets to form a dower house for Mrs Macrory, demolished in 1980s (HB02/08/019). The railway, however, forced the closure of the mills in 1900s and the business was transferred to a location near the railhead and machinery transferred. In the 1930s the house was further extended by the erection of a drawing room and conservatory at the top end of the house from what was described as a barn.

The present Macrory, barrister, was responsible for the report on Local Government Reorganisation in the early 1970s. He presently resides in America and is having the house completely renovated. Architects Dickson & McDonald. Builder B Mullan.

References:

S Macrory Days that are Gone
Ordnance Survey Memoirs Vol. 9

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A rambling Victorian house one room deep and extended several times at each end to provide additional accommodation. It is also illustrative of a house of a miller and descendants who engaged in a variety of other enterprises including the Report on Local Government Reorganisation. ( The Macrory Report.) Does not merit listing.