Coach yard

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A freestanding formal courtyard complex of outbuildings, built c.1850 to Italianate designs by Charles Lanyon, located directly NE of Dundarave House (HB05/08/005). All ranges are two-storey with multiple bays, with the exception of the S entrance range, which is single-storey; footprint is almost square, but the W and E ranges project slightly beyond the entrance range; four-stage campanile tower to SE corner.

Roofs are pitched natural slate with angled ridge tiles, rendered chimneystacks, plastic rainwater goods over corbelled eaves. Walling is lime rendered over basalt rubble with the exception of external S and W ranges, which are cement rendered; W elevation sits on a basalt rubble plinth with tooled sandstone dressing. Some patch repairs in cement render. Entrance (S) range has 14/14 timber sliding sashes without horns. Otherwise generally louvred timber openings with 14-pane toplights. All window openings have tooled stone cills. Doors are generally double-leaf painted timber sheeted with segmental-headed seven-pane toplights; chamfered stepped stone reveals.

External elevations:
Entrance range (S) has a central double-height round-headed arched entrance with pedimented gable, roof overhanging slightly and supported on scrolled corbel brackets; heavy rustication to south elevation. Two openings to either side, all windows except left opening, which is a timber sheeted door. Coach arch has a large double-leaf t&g sheeted door with wicket gate.

West elevation is nine openings wide to first floor including one blind opening; single window to ground floor. There is a basalt rubble undercroft at this elevation, accessed via a segmental-headed timber sheeted door with brick voussoirs.

North elevation is seven openings wide at first floor (including two timber sheeted loading doors); three replacement pivoting metal windows to ground floor. To centre is a round-headed coach arch with stepped stone surround.

East elevation has seven windows to first floor and is abutted at south end by the campanile.

Internal elevations:
S entrance range has pedimented coach arch; two openings to either side, all are windows except eastern opening, which is an open segmental-headed arch. Other openings are set within shallow segmental-headed recesses.

W range has five openings to first floor, generally half-louvred but those to right are 14/14 windows. To ground floor, five continuous segmental headed arched reveals form a three-part open arcade to left and centre, and are infilled at right containing a door and window respectively.

N range has a door and window at ground floor to either side of the arch and five openings to first floor.

E range is a mirror image of W.

The tower is four stages and is cement rendered with sandstone dressings. First stage contains square-headed entrance opening. Second stage is double-height, and the third stage is truncated, each having stone quoins; the second stage has a tall round-headed opening to north and south with stone surround and remains of margined lights; third stage has a roundel to each facet having scroll and figurative carving; that to west contains a clock. The fourth, belfry, stage has a pair of round-headed openings to all sides, and supports a shallow pyramidal roof overhanging on stone corbels.

Setting:
Set immediately NE of main house in a large designed landscape with several other historic and listed structures. Ornamental planting has become severely overgrown to S and E, restricting access. Access from S is via a short lane off the gravelled forecourt; from N from a dirt road leading to the walled garden and estate lands. There are some remains of cobbles to the perimeter of the yard, which is otherwise laid with hardcore.

Roof: slate
RWG: plastic
Walling: Lime and cement render
Windows: Timber

Historical information

Built c.1846 in conjunction with Dundarave House, the courtyard of outbuildings are first shown on the second edition OS map (1855), located to the east of the main house (HB05/08/005A).

In 1808 Francis MacNaghten purchased the Bushmills estate, ‘for a small price’ from his brothers-in-law, the Dunkins, and in c.1830 he proceeded to have a new house constructed on site, which incorporated all (or parts of) an earlier house. Captioned ‘Bushmills House’ on the first edition OS map (c.1832), this ‘new mansion house’ as described in the Townland Valuations (1835) comprised a two-storey castellated pile with an apparent three-stage tower to the rear, extensive outbuildings to the west, which were adorned with circular turrets, and a pair of walled or formalised gardens to the south (illustration c.1837 in Girvan).

Upon the death of Francis in 1843, the estate subsequently passed to his son Edmund MacNaghten. Through his father’s connections, Edmund had been appointed the illustrious position of Registrar of the Supreme Court, first in Madras and then in Calcutta, when he was in his early twenties. Earning such a high sum meant that in 1825 at the age of 24, Edmund was able to retire and return to Ireland. Following his father’s death and his inheritance of the Bushmills estate, MacNaghten proceeded to have the previous house demolished and replaced with the present mansion house, which is thought to have been built 1846-49, to the designs of Sir Charles Lanyon. Brett (1996) notes that in addition to the construction of the house, two walled gardens were also created and a shelter-belt of trees were planted. Although the courtyard of outbuildings are not specifically mentioned, their formalised deign and proximity to the house indicates that they were likely designed and built in conjunction with the main house, completed prior to the second edition OS map of 1855. The house, several gate lodges and these outbuildings were given a collective rateable value of £140 in Griffith’s Valuation (c.1862). This figure did not alter until the First General Revaluations of the mid 20th century and contemporary and historic OS maps show that there has been no change to the footprint of the outbuildings.

The Estate was vacant and put up for sale during the early 21st century, however it has been purchased and undergone refurbishment works in recent years.

References

Primary Sources
1. PRONI OS/6/1/3/1 First Edition OS map (1832)
2. PRONI OS/6/1/3/2 Second Edition OS map (1855)
3. PRONI OS/6/1/3/3 Third Edition OS map (1904)
4. PRONI OS/6/1/3/5 Fifth Edition OS map (1921)
5. PRONI VAL/2/B/1/25A Griffiths Valuation (1862)
6. PRONI VAL/12/D/1/2D Annual Revision Maps (1907-35)
7. PRONI VAL/12/B/4/6A-C Annual Revisions (1895-1929)
8. HB File (HB05/08/005B)

Secondary Sources
1. Girvan, WD ‘Historic Buildings Groups of Buildings Areas of Architectural importance in North Antrim including the Towns of Portrush, Ballymoney and Bushmills’ UAHS, 1971
2. MacNaughton, James ‘A History of the Clan Macnachtan’ Clan Macnachtan Association Worldwide, 2013
3. Brett, C.E.B. O’Connell, Michael ‘The Buildings of County Antrim’ UAHS, 1996

Online Sources
1. DIA (www.dia.ie/)
2. http://www.clanmacnaughton.net/docs_articles/Dundarave%20Estate%20Sold_CMAW.pdf

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

R. Age
S. Authenticity
T. Historic Importance
U. Historic Associations
V. Authorship
W. Northern Ireland/International Interest

Evaluation

The coach yard at Dundarave Estate is located in close proximity to the main house, forming a key part of its immediate designed setting, and presumably built to designs by eminent Ulster architect, Charles Lanyon, alongside the main house, which was built to his designs between 1849 and 1853. The coach yard is designed as a formal courtyard complex, in an Italiante style typical of Lanyon (used also in the main house), dominated by a fine campanile clock tower and lower entrance range symmetrically composed about a raised entrance arch detailed with rustication and pediment. The proportions are balanced throughout and details are well-executed, including finely tooled stonework to arcaded openings. The complex retains a hig proportion of original fabric, demonstrative of traditional techniques and materials, albeit with some alterations, and retaining original fenestration throughout. Original fittings enhance the architectural and historic interest of the complex, indicative of the history of use of the complex. The stable yard is a key element in the wider group of estate buildings, including main house (HB05/08/005A), farm yard (HB05/08/005C), walled garden (HB05/08/005G), gates and walling.

General comments

Second Survey Scoping Ref N05/08/008
District and ward are current at time of writing, but may not correspond to former boundaries.