Dunmore

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-storey five-bay harled Georgian house with attics, and a long low rear return standing in countryside set well back from the public road within its own farmland.

Walling is of harled finish. The roof is of Bangor blue slates in regular courses, with two small original flush rooflights. There are two chimneys, one on each gable, smooth cement rendered, carrying modern pots. Rainwater goods are of uPVC and metal.

The main entrance faces south. The south elevation is symmetrical with two windows to each side of a central entrance. Windows are rectangular timber vertically hung sliding sash, 1 over 2 to the first floor and 2 over 2 to the ground floor, with horns, with original protective iron bars in front of the lower sashes on the ground floor. The central window on the first floor is of Palladian type of very plain character, comprising a semi-circular arched central light flanked by narrow fixed 3-pane side lights.
The entrance follows the same general arrangement as the window above, and has a rectangular timber panelled door surmounted by a plain fanlight set in a semi-circular arched opening flanked by narrow 3-pane sidelights. An arched metalwork trellis-like canopy to support a creeper projects from the doorway surround.

The west gable is of harled finish, with a brickwork chimney breast evident near the top. There are two small windows at attic level, rectangular timber, of 3-paned arrangement, now fixed in position.

The north or rear elevation is of similar roof and wall materials to the front. It is also five windows wide, of symmetrical arrangement to the upper floors. Window are sashed, as previous to the entrance front, except for the most distinctive feature of this elevation, a central semi-circular lunette at high level.

The east gable is similar to the west, with the addition of one ground floor window, sashed 2 over 2 with horns, and two basement openings, crudely dressed, and now boarded up on the inside.

The rear return is of single storey height with a pitched roof covered in corrugated iron to both pitches. On the west side the walling is of rubble stonework, harled, and contains one window of modern fixed light and top-hung vent type. The end gable is of rubble stonework and concrete blockwork with a lower projecting lean-to outshot of crude construction in rubble stonework with corrugated iron roof.

On the east side the walling is of harled finish at the end next to the main house, where it contains a sashed window, 3 over 3 with horns, and a glazed and sheeted door; at the other end the walling is of concrete blockwork, and contains a large opening without a door.

SETTING

The grounds around the house contain a number of mature trees. To the front of the house is a lawn bounded by a hedge which contains an old scrolling ironwork gate leading to a field beyond. To the rear of the house is a yard which contains various outbuildings and sheds, none of special interest. Adjacent to the house, on the west side is a modern house within the grounds of this one.

Historical information

The precise date of building is not documented but is believed to be around 1790; the building appears on the OS map of 1833. some of its surviving features indicate the possibility of a mid 18th century date. It appears to have been originally in the occupancy of the Magills who were agents for the Staples Estate.

References - Primary Sources
1. OS Map of 1833.
2. Information from the owner's family in 2008.

Secondary Sources
1. A.J. Rowan, The Buildings of Ireland: North-West Ulster (Harmondsworth, 1979), p 363.

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

W. Northern Ireland/International Interest
Z. Rarity

Evaluation

A two-storey five-bay harled Georgian house with attics, and a long low rear return. This is a late Georgian house of typical proportions in a comparatively plain style that is likely to be mid 18th c. in origin. Internally, the angled chimneybreasts are early features of some interest as is the survivng plan form. Dunmore is of a distinctively Irish type and, as an increasingly rare intact and unaltered dwelling, is a fine example of a small Irish house of its period.