Cullycapple House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

An asymmetrical four-bay two-storey-over-partially-exposed-basement double-pile house with outbuildings, built c.1840 and extended c.1905, located to the south side of Cullycapple Road in Aghadowey, south of Coleraine. Rectangular plan with single-storey projecting porch to front; former two-storey dairy (c.1905) forms a return to rear and is now incorporated into the main house.

Pitched natural slate roof with angled ridge tiles and rendered chimneystacks having three tall clay pots. Cast-iron half-round rainwater goods on moulded eaves. Walling is ruled-and-lined render on a contrasting plinth with vermiculated raised quoins; painted smooth render to basement; pebbledash to rear elevation. Windows are 3/6 timber sash without horns to first floor and 6/6 to ground floor, all with exposed boxes and in moulded architraves with projecting painted sills; fixed six-paned timber windows with projecting painted sills to basement; replacement timber sash windows to rear elevation.

The principal elevation faces east and is five openings wide at each floor (those to centre are more closely grouped). To left of centre at ground floor is the projecting flat-roof porch with moulded cornice, accessed by two stone steps (three at north side). Porch contains a bolection-moulded six-panel timber door (raised-and-fielded decorative panels to lower section) with cast-iron ‘hand and wreath’ knocker; flanked by four fluted pilasters and two-paned sidelights and surmounted by three-light transom, all in a moulded architrave. Lit at right cheek by a 6/6 timber sash window in a moulded architrave with projecting painted sill; blank window to left cheek, detailed as that to right.

The south elevation comprises two gables with exposed basement enclosed by rendered plinth wall topped by modern cast-iron railings. Gable to right is wider and has 6/3 window to first floor right , smaller timber casement window to first floor left and 6/6 window to left of centre at ground floor; two windows to basement. Left gable has two 6/3 windows to first floor over a bipartite 6/6 window to centre at ground floor.

The west (rear) elevation is abutted at left by a single-storey abutment linking the two-storey former dairy (c.1905); grouped to centre at first floor are three windows; replacement two-panelled-and-glazed timber door with transom light at ground floor left of centre, square terracotta tiles to entrance with metal boot-scraper. Door is flanked by a window to each side and has a 6/6 window at right. Return (c.1905) has a hipped slate roof with terracotta ridges and hips; corner wall at southwest contains a replacement panelled-and-glazed timber door with square tiles to entrance. South elevation has a variety of fixed and timber sash windows; north elevation has two 6/6 timber sash windows.

The north elevation has two windows at first and ground floor to each gable.

Setting:

Situated on a mature site to the south side of Cullycapple Road and accessed via curved rendered entrance walls with saddleback coping terminating in two square piers. Piers have painted caps topped by ball finials and support replacement cast-iron gates. A tree-lined avenue leads to gravel concourse at front of house, and to north, elliptical-headed arch to pebbled rear yard. Yard has a variety of pebbledash outbuildings; to north of entrance is a two-storey pebbledash coach-house with hipped roof having blue/black angled tiles to ridges and hips, and topped by metal weathervane. First floor has two timber-sheeted loading doors and a six-paned fixed timber window. To centre at ground floor is an elliptical-headed carriage-arch entrance containing timber-sheeted doors with modern metal hinges. Rear elevation is abutted at left by stable-block (described below); timber-sheeted loading door and five-paned oculus to first floor and six-paned fixed timber window at ground floor. To west side of yard is a symmetrical two-storey stable block having two six-paned fixed timber windows with projecting painted sills to either side of an original half-glazed timber door surmounted by two-paned transom light in a deep cement rendered recess. Half timber-sheeted door in a deep cement rendered reveal to north gable. Stable block to west is set on a slight slope and has original natural slate roof and timber-sheeted half-doors. Modern stable block and large agricultural sheds to south.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Ruled-and-lined render
Windows: Timber sash
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

‘Cullycapple’is a linen mansion dating from c1840 and is first shown, captioned, on the second edition OS map of 1849-53. Two outbuildings are shown to the rear, one of which appears to have survived to the present day. By the time of the third edition of 1904-5 ‘Cullycapple House’ had been extended to the rear and further outbuildings had been added to the site, of which some remain.

Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64) lists the occupier as George Barklie, who leases the house from the Worshipful Company of Ironmongers. The house and outbuildings are valued at £22 and are sited on a plot of over 16 acres. By 1866 the house had been taken over by Thomas Barklie & Co. The Barklie family owned a number of bleachgreens in the Aghadowey area from the turn into the nineteenth century and George and his son Thomas Barklie are particularly associated with Mullamore bleach green (in the townland of Mullaghinch)which is situated opposite Cullycapple House and is shown on the first edition OS map of 1831-2. Thomas Barklie expanded his linen business in partnership with William Spotten of Belfast but a slump came and Mullamore fell vacant for many years. (Mullin) Cullycapple House was taken over by Thomas A Marks in 1885 and David Innes in 1889, who became the owner in fee when the mansion house and bleach works were sold at auction in 1890 (Belfast Newsletter).

In the early 1890s the house was a summer home for Robert Flint, the Scottish philosopher and theologian who published works on the philosophy of history but is best known for his theological writings arguing for the existence of God. (Oxford Dictionary of National Biography; Macmillan)

By the time of the 1901 census Cullycapple House was the home of farmer John Marshall, his mother and sister. The family employed a live-in domestic servant and the thirteen-room house was designated first class. (1901 census) In 1926 the house passed to William Wilson and then to Marshall Wilson in 1948. (Valuation records)

The house was revalued at £23 in the 1930s and accommodation comprised, on the ground floor: four receptions, a kitchen, scullery, pantry, milkhouse, bathroom and WC and on the first floor: eight bedrooms, a boxroom, storeroom and two servants’ bedrooms accessed by a separate stairway. The valuer commented that the house was well built but badly planned and had too many corridors. There was no mains water, a hand pump delivered water to a tank and rainwater supplied the rest of the family’s needs. The associated plan of the building shows the double pile house and a number of outbuildings to the rear, a stable with lofts over, a byre, boiling house, cart shed with lofts over and a cattle shed. (Valuation records)

The building was listed in 1977 but was unoccupied for some time and fell into a poor state of repair. The building was renovated in the 1990s with further external work c2008. (HB file)

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/5/19/1 First Edition OS Map 1831-2
2. PRONI OS/6/5/19/2 Second Edition OS map 1849-53
3. PRONI OS/6/5/19/3 Third Edition OS Map 1904-5
4. PRONI OS/6/5/19/4 Fourth Edition OS Map 1924-27
5. PRONI VAL/12/B/30/17A-H Annual Revisions (1864-1929)
6. PRONI VAL/3/C/6/1 First General Revaluation 1933-57
7. PRONI VAL/3/D/6/3/B/2 First General Revaluation 1933-57
8. Griffith’s Valuation online
9. 1901 census
10. HB file – 03/03/025
11. Belfast Newsletter 15th March 1890

Secondary Sources
1. Day, A., P. McWilliams, English L., eds. “OS Memoirs of Ireland, Parishes of County Londonderry XII, 1829-30, 1832, 1834-6, Vol. 33.” Belfast: Institute of Irish Studies, 1995.
2. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online
3. Macmillan,D “Life of Robert Flint” 1914
4. Mullin, Rev T H “Aghadowey, A Parish and its Linen Industry” Belfast, 1972

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

Cullycapple House is an asymmetrical four-bay two-storey-over-partially-exposed-basement double-pile house with outbuildings, built c.1840 and extended c.1905, located to the south side of Cullycapple Road in Aghadowey. Architectural detailing is largely intact and is typically Victorian in character. A well-preserved group of outbuildings to a rear yard add to the architectural interest as does the gate screen. The house is also enhanced by its setting, situated on a mature site accessed via a tree-lined avenue. A fine example of a middle-sized early-Victorian country house, Cullycapple House is of local interest and is significant as the summer home of Robert Flint, the Scottish philosopher.

General comments

Listing criteria R - Age; S - Authenticity and U - Historical Associations also apply