Drumachose House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

( The building was demolished in October 2000. Recorded in December 1998 as follows.)

Two storey three bay sand cement rendered house in a mature wooded
setting near the north west end of Greystone Road. External finishes include natural slates, sliding sash windows (mostly two pane) and cast iron rainwater goods.

Main facade faces south west. Central flat roofed porch with cornice surmounted by decorative metal work. Double panelled door (1.2m wide) with segmental fanlight flanked by two narrow round head windows. Cornice over door once supported on console brackets now broken. Segmental window above on first floor three sashes wide with keystone under eaves in sand cement. Slots to basement on each side of porch. Canted bay windows rising to eaves and topped by pitched slate roofs also to each side of porch. One sand cement rendered chimney on south east gable another on ridge between porch and north west bay. Roof is hipped at north west end.

The north west elevation faces the lawn and is formally considered. Hipped at both ends it is seven windows long though these are not exactly of equal spacing. The front block of two bays projects 150mm beyond the return. In the centre of the composition is a tall projecting timber screen to the morning room with French windows in the centre. Flanking windows at ground floor are six pane Georgian sashes. At first floor they are smaller and have nine panes. There is a brick dentil course at the eaves. The two sashes near the front facade are of similar size but do not have a sub-division of panes. There is no eaves decoration.. The slot to the basement returns under these windows. On the ridge are two further chimneys. To the rear the brick stable block (two storeys) projects onto the lawn. The arched opening to the former coach house is blocked up.

The outbuildings form a courtyard to the rear of the house and are white washed and natural slated with original stable fittings remaining. The longest range is parallel to the house and part converted into kitchens. It has an arch into the rear yard. A lower single storey range is perpendicular on the north west end. On the south east side there are sandstone entrance pillars and a two storey barn.

A high rendered wall encloses the back yard on the south east elevation. Two aligning windows light the gable of the main house with a third in the attic. The roof extends to the rear over a pair of double sash windows aligning with two sashes on the ground floor.

To the front the basement slot reveals the original painted harling render.

Historical information

Formerly the glebe house built in 1810 ‘by Rev Elias Thackeray, from a fund from the Board of First Fruits, to be paid in instalments. It was a small house, and to it an addition has been made in 1824 by the present incumbent, rendering it thus a commodious house. It is bare and exposed…trees planted 10 years ago’ (Ordnance Survey Memoirs 1833-5 p.51). The Ordnance Survey Map of 1848 shows an L shaped building with two barns on the present lawn.

The building now joined to a different end of the front block was further renovated in the late Victorian era. On the 1907 map the front portion seems to have been completely rebuilt as the return is enlarged and the barns on the lawns are demolished and rebuilt in the low wing in the courtyard. It was used as a rectory until the mid 1920s when the rector moved to the Lodge on Main Street (HB02/12/008). A Miss Bradfield lived in the house during the inter-war period. She added the music room extension to the living room. A Miss Hanna lived in the house in more recent times. It was bought by Samuel Nutt in 1988. An intricately carved timber chimneypiece (foreign) once stood in the entrance hall, it was removed to Gosford Castle in the mid 1980s. A Victorian conservatory abutted the French windows of the living room but this was removed by the present owner.

Demolished October 2000 and trees felled to make way for yet more Noddy houses. Developer Black and Adams.

References:

O.S .S 1831 and 1848 Co. Londonderry.
Ordnance Survey Memoirs Vol 11 p.51
Owner, Mr Samuel J Nutt

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Demolished. Recorded prior to demolition as follows.

A nicely sited building in a mature setting which is slowly revealed along the entrance drive. Main elevation is a bit odd as the hipped roof and off centre chimneys compete with its symmetrical nature, lawn elevation is elegant if not perfectly proportioned. The interior however, has great grace and character. The hall and staircase is spacious and pleasant. The living room is bright and airy and the music room is an interesting addition. The morning room and dining rooms are also finely considered and weell detailed spaces. The building is of historical importance to the local community as the former rectory.