Tamlaghtard Rectory

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Six bay wide two storey roughcast rendered house with two storey back return forming an L plan. Under the main part of the house a basement and over an attic. The house would appear to be originally a five bay symmetrically composed house with central fanlighted doorway. Later a sixth bay was added to the south and a projecting porch to the main entrance. The roof is slated with interlocking metal ridge tiles with three roof lights over the five bay part to the rear and a gable window inserted in the extended gable.

The house is sited on level ground of about 0.8 hectares with mature trees dotting the lawn and is approached by a curving sweeping avenue from the south east on the Duncrun Road. A roofless two storey barn at right angles to the main house a little removed from its south gable forms a rear courtyard completed by the back return and a west wall. Against the wall there is the remains of the lower walls of a glass house now used as an outdoor dining area. The ground floor of the back return is used as tea-rooms and is several steps below the main ground floor.

The external rendering has been power washed exposing the cement roughcast which has a black chip. Window reveals are smooth. The projecting porch is smooth rendered and painted with a wide single door in each of the flanking walls and a sash window in the middle of the other wall. Pilasters frame the walls and the tops decorated with white plaster heads (recent additions). The fanlight of the front entrance can be seen above the flat roof of the front porch, the porch having been added.

The ground and first floor windows are almost identical having two sashes subdivided into six panes each. The windows to the southern bay are slightly wider than the others. The sashes are in good order and retain all their Georgian characteristics. Main doors are panelled and painted. The roof has little eaves overhung and an ogee gutter collects rainwater. The roofs are terminated with gables with a chimney stack in each and another chimney at the end of the fifth bay.

Historical information

According to Leslie the Glebe house was built in 1786 and in 1824 had 20 acres of Glebe land. The Ordnance Survey map gives 1774 -
‘ on the Glebe is a substantial house and offices built about the year 1774 by the Rev. Alexander Skipton it is used as a landmark by vessels passing to and from Derry on Lough Foyle’. Until 1996 the property was empty (but still used as an office by the visiting Rector) the present owner has renovated and restored the house and eventually the outhouses. The additional bay was probably added c 1850.

Reference

Parishes and Clergy of Derry and Raphoe by Leslie
Ordnance Survey Memoirs Vol. 11 p.84, 85

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
D. Plan Form
H+. Alterations enhancing the building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
W. Northern Ireland/International Interest
X. Local Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance

Evaluation

An austere mid Georgian style house with good plaster and joinery details within, particularly the window sashes, linings, architraves, panelled doors and lugged architraves. Good stair balustrading and several fine fireplaces. Sensitively restored in recent times.