Outbuildings

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Quadrilateral range of multi-bay single and two-storey rubblestone outbuildings, built c.1840, forming an enclosed yard as part of the former Downhill Estate (HB03/12/015A-I) with a pair of detached single-storey outbuildings within the yard. Located on the north side of Mussenden Road to the east of Bishop’s Gate (HB03/12/015F) and the kennel keeper’s house (HB03/12/015H). No longer in use and with limited access.

Pitched and hipped natural slate roofs (unless otherwise stated) with black clay ridge tiles. Random coursed squared limestone walling with rock-faced limestone ashlar quoins. Square-headed window openings with flush limestone lintels, no sills and some multi-pane timber casement windows.

Two-storey range to the east has had its slate roof replaced with single pitched corrugated iron supported on concrete block to the inner front elevation. The west front elevation has a central shallow breakfront with some enlarged openings and most window openings blocked up.

Single-storey north and east ranges have a natural slate roof, hipped to the northeast corner and to the south end with a pair of redbrick chimneystacks to the south of the east range. Roof collapsed to the north end of the east range. The north range has A-frame timber truss roof and whitewashed internal walls. The east range has some window openings to the south end formed in redbrick with 2/2 timber sash windows.

A tall stone wall encloses the south side of the yard with a pair of limestone ashlar piers and wrought-iron gates to east and west.

Setting
Located on the north side of Mussenden Road on a slip road shared with Bishop’s Gate (HB03/12/015F) and the former kennel keeper’s house (HB03/12/015H), enclosed to the road by steel gates.

Roof Natural slate
RWG None
Walling Random coursed squared limestone
Windows Multi-pane timber casement / 2/2 timber sash

Historical information

The present buildings form the farmyard to the Downhill demesne, part of which was used as domestic accommodation for farm labourers. The farmyard was built by Sir Henry Hervey Bruce, third baronet, who inherited the title and the estate in 1836. (Eccles) Ranges of outbuildings forming three sides of a square are first shown on the second edition OS map of 1848, captioned ‘Farm Yard’. The west, north and east ranges are thought to date from c1840 (Girvan) but the inner buildings and the south range are not shown on OS maps until the third edition of 1904. The outbuildings are not separately listed in valuation records until Annual Revisions of the 1860s when the ‘caretaker’s house’ and offices situated on 10 acres of land are occupied by Peter Robertson, later followed by James Blair and valued at £1.5s. The valuation rises to £25 in the 1870s which most likely indicates the addition of the farmyard buildings to the valuation of the domestic buildings in the group.

In 1885 the domestic dwelling and the outbuildings are again valued separately, although still falling under the Bruce estate. The occupier of the caretaker’s house in 1901 is Joseph Neilans, a farm labourer who lived with his wife and five children, the elder two working as a saddler and as a shirtmaker. The three-room house is designated second class. By 1911 the occupant was agricultural labourer, William John Elliott, a man of 50 with his wife and three children, the sons working as general labourers and the daughter as a seamstress. The family kept two boarders aged 10 and 11.

The farm buildings remained in the Bruce family until c1950 but appear to have since passed out of the estate. (Valuation records)
The buildings have deteriorated somewhat since the first survey photograph was taken. Girvan records a ten-bay two-storey main block with a gabled centre bay and arched ground floor for the storage of wagons. (Girvan) However, the upper storey appears to have been removed in recent years and replaced with concrete block.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/5/2/1 First Edition OS Map 1831
2. PRONI OS/6/5/2/2 Second Edition OS map 1848
3. PRONI OS/6/5/2/3 Third Edition OS Map 1904
4. PRONI OS/6/5/2/4 Fourth Edition OS Map 1923
5. PRONI VAL/12/A/5/4 Valuer’s Notes 1907
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/30/10A-F Annual Revisions (1864-1929)
1. PRONI VAL/3/C/6/2 First General Revaluation 1933-57
2. PRONI VAL/3/D/6/3/H/5 First General Revaluation 1933-57
7. HB file – 03/12/008
8. 1901 census
9. 1911 census

Secondary Sources
1. Eccles, J “Downhill, A Scrapbook of People and Place” London: Bath Press, 1996
2. Girvan, W D “Historic Buildings, Groups of Buildings, Areas of Architectural Importance in North Derry including Limavady, Ballykelly, Castlerock, Downhill and Magilligan” Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1975

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
S. Authenticity
T. Historic Importance
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Quadrilateral range of multi-bay single and two-storey rubblestone outbuildings, built c.1840, forming an enclosed yard as part of the former Downhill Estate (HB03/12/015A-I) with a pair of detached single-storey outbuildings within the yard. An impressive range of outbuildings exhibiting quality stonemasonry throughout, however, late twentieth-century alterations detract from the architectural interest of the west range while the complex is generally in a poor state of repair. Although in separate ownership, this range of outbuildings forms part of the Downhill Estate and represents an important element of estate's history. It has group value with the other listed structures on the estate.

General comments

Renumbered as part of a group. Formerly HB03/12/011.

Listing Criteria R - Age; S - Authenticity and T - Historic Importance also apply.