Pumphill House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two storey five bay large vernacular farmhouse with modern flat roofed timber and glass porch. Natural slate roof, front facade smooth rendered and painted with painted plaster quoin stones. Probably it was originally a three bay wide house as there are chimneys on the ridge at the former gables of this section, the door is centred and the windows are equally spaced. The facade faces south east onto a small road branching from Mill Road beside a ring fort. (LDY 17:11). The two bays of the facade to the south west of the range described are closer together but detailed in the same way. A third chimney is on the gable. The windows are all 14 pane sliding sashes with the exception of a two pane sash (probably a replacement) in the north east corner. Over the door inside the porch is a plain segmental fanlight. To the south west a harled painted and slated two storey barn abuts the gable of the house. There is a single small two pane sash window to the road. After the barn (which is about two bays long) a harled and painted wall extends further to the south west ending in a rectangular gate post. This is the entrance to the farmyard behind.

The south west gable is blank.

To the rear the nature of the extensions becomes more apparent. The three bay farmhouse sits about a metre in front of the two bay extension. It has four small irregularly distributed windows at first floor and a central single storey lean-to projection with a modern window. To the north east is a wide modern window. To the south west is a fine tripartite sash window with a twelve pane central portion and four pane sides. In the extension there are two similar small four pane windows at high level, (one of which is barred) and two 16 pane sashes at ground level. The house is harled and white washed to the rear. Behind the house and perpendicular is a range of white washed and slated barns.

The north east elevation is rendered in sand cement but not painted. One twelve pane sash lights a room on first floor near the front.

Against back porch of house is an unusual pump connected to the pipework of the house.

Historical information

Cumoighe O’Cathain descended from the pre-plantation O’Cahan chieftain resident in the townland in 1723. Two sons John O’Kane and Michael Kane Catholics, married two Protestant sisters Jane and Rose Haslett. When they died they were buried in separate graveyards. John O’Kane born 1780 had a daughter who married Dr Bryson of Limavady who lived in the house. The Griffiths Valuation of 1858 records the occupant as John Kane representative of Marcus McCausland, ‘house offices and land’, value of buildings: £5. He is also listed as the lessor of nearby Maine North corn mill to Edward Boyle ‘mill and stores, miller and kilnsman’s houses’. (Buildings of value £10. 10s. 0d.) Little remains of the mills though they are indicated on the 1970 map. The present occupant’s family bought the house and farm from a Mr McConnellogue, descendent of Bryson in the 1950s.

References:

Griffiths Valuation 1858
Genealogical Research - A Higgins Carnshill Road Belfast
Owner (1998)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A large well sited pre 1830 farmhouse which exhibits the corridor and spy window typical of such buildings but which has a stair unusually parallel to the corridor rather than perpendicular. Though the kitchen fireplace has been removed much other original fittings remain (panelled window reveals, timber ceilings, some original sash windows) and the building is a good example of how such large farmhouses were extended over time. The bars on the servants window and the pump are unusual features of note. The porch though typical of 20th century additions in the area detracts from the composition.