Woodbank House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A symmetrical, detached two-storey-with-basement three-bay Georgian-style house, built c.1830. Set back to the western side of Mettican Road, to the north-west of Garvagh town. L-shaped on plan with a two-storey return to rear extending west; and a two-storey, mid 20th century extension abutting to the north corner, in a similar style to the main house, extending north-east. Situated in extensive grounds there are historic outbuildings to the west and a series of original rubblestone walls.

Hipped U-plan slate roof with lead covered ridges (re-laid); gable to south-west bay; roof of main return is partially gabled to south and merges into pitched roof of modern extension, to north. Two re-rendered chimney stacks to south-west gable and north-east ridge having six painted octagonal, decorative pots (some replacements). Combinations of half-round and ogee rainwater goods, generally replacement metal or uPVC; mounted on plain timber fascia to overhanging timber sheeted eaves. Walling is generally painted roughcast over contrasting, projecting basement with stone string-course over; central bay to rear wall having ruled-and-lined-rendered walling. Windows are generally square-headed plain openings having projecting stone sills; largely original timber sliding sashes without horns, 6/6 to ground floor, 6/3 to attic (unless otherwise stated). Some replacement casements (various stages of 20th century) to return and rear elevation (unless otherwise stated). Full-height rear return extends to west and is abutted by mono-pitched single-storey extensions to the south and by a two-storey mid to late 20th century annex to the north (all are of little interest).

Principal elevation faces east, three openings wide vertically aligned about central doorcase. Central main door is original six-panelled woodgrained timber, having decorative side-lights and an enriched late Georgian fan-light over roof of porch. Six-pane original casement to basement left-side and replacement, multi-pane timber and glazed double-leaf door to right.

South elevation is symmetrical, having two windows to each level; single 20th century casement to basement.

West elevation is asymmetrical with the right gabled-bay having a single twin-paned replacement casement window. Central bay is lower, having two six-pane original/replacement casements to lower levels and an original oval window to first floor containing an asymmetrical web-motif. Left-bay contains projecting rear return which contains two windows to first floor over an advancing gable to left, having a large transomed and mullioned casement window (replacement) with segmental pane to head; right-side abutted by mono-pitched single-storey extension with modern window and door, extending south with a similar abutment; these are of no further interest. Asymmetrical right-cheek of main return faces south and contains irregular 6/6 sashes to first floor; a six-light replica/replacement casement to left with replacement timber sheeted door below; right-side has two mid 20th century casements. Left-cheek is abutted by a gabled mid 20th century, two-storey-with-attic extension having attic dormers and timber casement windows (of no interest).

North elevation is lit by two openings at each level; top right is a mullioned and transomed, multi-light hinged timber casement; repaired timber panelled and plain glazed double-leaf door below, with a mullioned eight-pane casement below; repaired timber sheeted and braced door to left-side basement with plain glass insert.

Setting

Located on a prominent, elevated site to the north-west of Garvagh, overlooking extensive, mature farmland. Forming part of a farm complex, the L-plan outbuildings to the immediate rear are of historic interest, as are a number of walls. The house is accessed via a long sweeping, hedge-lined drive from the west of Mettican Road. A concreted yard is located at basement level to the rear elevation, bounded by a large two-storey rendered rubble-stone wall which abuts the western return of the house and is accessed via concrete steps to the south-west. South elevation of house abutted by rubblestone wall, extending south and west (formerly) enclosing a large, mature garden which contains a pair of beech arches, supposedly planted in the year of the Battle of Culloden (c.1746). A pointed brick arch pierces the north side of the wall and an original timber gate to eastern side. There is generally a channel to basement level with an array of concrete steps leading down or up to ground floor doors.

Two-storey uncoursed rubblestone gabled outbuilding with brick dressings to camber-arched openings; roof and floor structure has been replaced in recent decades and interior largely refurbished for modern farm purposes. Replacement timber sheeted doors and multi-light casement windows; central opening enlarged and reinforced with concrete. Upper levels have timber louvers and small bell projects from northern gable; some timber sheeted walls, ceilings and clay floor tiles remain. Monopitched single-storey roughcast structure abuts to south-east, constructed on top of perimeter rubblestone wall but is of little interest.

Roof: Slate
Walling: Roughcast and painted
Windows: Timber sash/ casement (replacement)
RWG: uPVC & replacement metal

Historical information

Woodbank appears in OS Memoirs (1836) as a ‘good and well-built house’ constructed by Robert Ogilby in 1822-3. (OS Memoirs) The house and return are shown, captioned ‘Woodbank’, on the first edition OS map of 1832 with an L-shaped outbuilding to the rear (still present) and tree planting shown in the grounds. The house has been extended to the rear in recent years and a flat-roofed glazed porch to front elevation (c.1965, replacing a previous porch) was removed in 2014 to reveal the original doorcase with fanlight and side lights.

According to OS Memoirs, Robert Ogilby let out Woodbank House to William Orr (who later lived at nearby St Margaret’s) in the 1830s and constructed a house for his own use in the grounds in the 1830s (Woodbank Cottage HB03/02/015). The site is described as ‘remarkably well chosen, being on a commanding bank clothed with a natural growth of oak and birch. The grounds are not extensive but have been planted with much taste by Mr Ogilby’ (OS Memoirs).

The property subsequently passed to the McCausland family who appear to have been relatives of the Ogilbys, and in Griffith’s Valuation of 1856-64 it is Mary Anne McCausland who is listed as resident. The house and offices, leased from Lady Garvagh, are valued at £26 and situated in over 51 acres of land. The house passed down through the McCausland family, to Oliver P McCausland in 1878 and Lieutenant Colonel Redmond Conyngham Samuel McCausland in 1902. The Lt Colonel was resident at Woodbank House while Woodbank cottage was occupied by various members of his family, principally his three sisters. The 1911 census lists the Lt Colonel with his wife and two adult children. A small staff comprising a cook and a parlour maid is also resident and the twenty-one room house is designated first class.

Lt Col McCausland lived at Woodbank House until his death in 1935 and his obituary recalls that he was a prominent local figure and had a ‘brilliant’ career in the Indian army. He was educated at Haileybury College and Sandhurst and served in the Afghan War (1879-80) when he was awarded the Ali Nusjid medal and was mentioned in dispatches. Owing to ill health, he stepped back from active service after the Afghan campaign and became Cantonment magistrate to stations in the Punjab until his retirement. (http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com)

McCausland’s son Oliver joined the Royal Irish Rifles during the First World War and was killed in action on May 9th 1915 at the age of 19. His daughter, Dorothea, became a noted philanthropist and was a nurse in the Voluntary Aid Detachment during the War. She saw service in Mesopotamia and was torpedoed aboard the RNSP Aragon in the Mediterranean, receiving the Croix de Guerre with Palm and a mention in dispatches. She founded the first branch of the Women’s Institute in Ireland at Garvagh in 1932. (Lt Col McCausland obituary - http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com; Garvagh Heritage Trail leaflet) Lt Col McCausland was of Scottish ancestry and it was said that a piper of the clan McCausland came annually from Scotland to Woodbank, to pipe round the grounds and present Colonel McCausland with an eagle’s feather, acknowledging his claim to headship of the clan. (Lt Col McCausland obituary - http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com). The dwelling house continues in domestic use.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/5/18/1 First Edition OS Map 1832
2. PRONI OS/6/5/18/2 Second Edition OS map 1849-53
3. PRONI OS/6/5/18/3 Third Edition OS Map 1904-5
4. PRONI OS/6/5/18/4 Fourth Edition OS Map 1924-33
5. PRONI VAL/12/B/30/12A-F Annual Revisions (1864-1929)
6. PRONI VAL/3/C/6/2 First General Revaluation 1933-57
7. PRONI VAL/3/D/6/3/K/1 First General Revaluation 1933-57
8. Griffith’s Valuation online
9. 1901/ 1911 census online

Secondary Sources

1. Day, A., P. McWilliams, English L., eds. “OS Memoirs of Ireland, Parishes of County Londonderry VIII, 1830, 1833-7, 1839, Vol. 27.” Belfast: Institute of Irish Studies, 1994.
2. http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com
3. Garvagh Heritage Trail leaflet

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
R. Age
S. Authenticity
U. Historic Associations

Evaluation

A detached, symmetrical two-storey over basement, three-bay rendered Georgian-style farmhouse, built c.1823 and extended in the late 19th century. The elevations are characterised by restrained, simple detailing, which is enlivened by the enriched fanlight and side-lights surrounding the central doorway. The building's interest is enhanced by a very fine interior, historic outbuildings, an excellent setting and its association with Dorothea McCausland who became a noted philanthropist and was a nurse in the Voluntary Aid Detachment during WW1. She saw service in Mesopotamia and was torpedoed aboard the RNSP Aragon in the Mediterranean, receiving the Croix de Guerre with Palm and a mention in dispatches. She founded the first branch of the Women’s Institute in Ireland at Garvagh in 1932.

General comments

Listing Criteria R - Age; S - Authenticity and U - Historic Associations also apply.