Drumard Hill

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

This is a detached two-storey house, built c.1840. It is rectangular in plan with a single-storey lean-to return to the rear South. There is single-storey return to the West gable. There is an extensive square yard to the rear which is surrounded by an assortment of outbuildings.

External walls are roughcast render, partially eroded to show rubble stonework beneath and flat brick arches to window heads. There are render bands to corners and at eaves level. The roof is pitched with natural slate, now partially fallen in. Two plain rendered chimneys are located at the apex on each gable. Render is in poor condition. Rainwater goods are cast-iron.

The front North elevation is three bays in width. The ground floor has a central square-headed doorway which is flanked by two square-headed windows. The door is boarded up and is surmounted by a rectangular overlight. Both windows have been covered by corrugated metal sheeting. The first floor has three square-headed windows. Two windows to the left are gone. The window to the right is 6/6 timber sliding sash with no panes. All windows are set on cut-stone sills. The gable is surmounted by a rendered and brick chimney to the apex. Some brick to the chimney is missing.

The side West elevation is gable-ended and is partially obscured by the single-storey return. There are two square-headed openings to the attic level. A further plain rendered chimney surmounts the apex of the gable

The rear South elevation has a boarded up square-headed opening to the ground floor. There are three square-headed 6/6 timber sash windows to the first floor. All windows are set on cut-stone sills.

The side East elevation is gable-ended and partially obscured by foliage. There are two square-headed openings to the attic level.

Returns:

Single-storey lean-to:
The single-storey lean-to to the rear of the house is two windows in width to the South elevation. Windows are square-headed six-light timber casement. There is a square-headed timber sheeted door to the West. There is a small single-light timber casement window to the East, at high level. External walls are rubble stone. The lean-to roof is partially covered with natural slate, and partially fallen in.

Single-storey return to the West gable:
The rear elevation has a two square-headed partially boarded up timber casement windows, and two timber sheeted doors. External walls are rubble stone with brick dressings to openings. The roof is pitched with natural slate. There is a further small single-storey corrugated metal shed attached to the West gable of this return.

Setting:

The house is set to the Southeast of Turnaface Road, accessed off a laneway to the Northwest. The entrance to the rear yard is via a gateway to the Southeast. The gateway has two brick pillars with pyramidal cut-stone capping. The rear yard contains a mixture of two-storey and single-storey nineteenth century outbuildings and sheds. There are further modern sheds among the outbuildings to the East.

The house and outbuildings are located to the North of Cookstown.

Historical information

Although there are buildings shown in this vicinity on the OS map of 1832, it is difficult to say for certain whether any matches the exact location of the present structure. Five houses are recorded with Drumard townland in the c.1833 valuation, all one to one and a half storey thatched dwellings. There are discrepancies between the reference numbers used by the valuers within the valuation book and those on the accompanying map; however the house that appears to have been sited on or close to the site of the present building appears to have been that occupied by a John Harkness, a ‘not new’ thatched structure measuring 59ft x 19½ x 11.

The present house was built by Robert Harkness sometime between 1832 and 1853, and is recorded in the valuers ‘[New] House book’ of 1856 as measuring 40ft x 25 x 18, with an addition of 17 x 8 x 6, and offices of 20 x 19 x 6 (thatched old), 37 x 19 x 6 (thatched old), 25 x 15 x 6, and 44 x 18 x 12. The property remained in the Harkness family until 1872, when a James McCullagh is recorded as the occupier. James was succeeded by a Joseph McCullagh the following year, and by a Thomas McCullagh in 1875. Robert McCullagh is recorded as resident in 1925, and was still occupying the property in 1957.

References- Primary sources

1 PRONI VAL/2A/5/46 OS map, Co Londonderry sheet 46, with valuation
references, 1853(-57)
2 PRONI VAL/2B/5/43A Second valuation, ‘House book’, Lissan parish, 1856
3 PRONI VAL/12B/34/15A Annual valuation revision book, Lissan Upper ED, 1860-63 [There appears to be a discrepancy between the valuation book and the accompanying valuation map regarding the reference for this property. Thus it is difficult to deduce anything relating to this house from this and the following valuation books.]
4 PRONI VAL/12B/34/15B Annual valuation revision book, Lissan Upper ED, 1864-76
5 PRONI VAL/12B/34/15C Annual valuation revision book, Lissan Upper ED, 1877-83
6 PRONI VAL/12B/34/15D Annual valuation revision book, Lissan Upper ED, 1884-98
7 PRONI VAL/12B/34/15E Annual valuation revision book, Lissan Upper ED, 1899-1915
8 PRONI VAL/12B/34/15F Annual valuation revision book, Lissan Upper ED, 1915-29
9 PRONI VAL/3C/6/17 First general revaluation of Northern Ireland, Lissan Upper ED, 1936-57

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

This is a two storey farmhouse set in a prominent position with a large yard and attendant outbuildings. It is unaltered and the interior layout and much of the interior detailing survives. It is well-proportioned with a simple formality that adds to its significance in the landscape. The setting is well preserved and much complimented by the surviving outbuildings. Its survival is unusual and of some significance.