Moree House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-storey three-bay house with attics with a number of off-shoots to the sides and rear, but all in a ruinous condition.

It stands in a rural area, between two public roads but set well back from both, within grounds which are largely given over to farm use.

The main entrance faces east.
The east elevation is symmetrical with one window to each side of a central entrance. Walling is finished with a dry-dash but currently much obscured by overgrowth of creeper.
Roofing is of Bangor blue slates in regular courses, in poor condition. There are two chimneys, one on each gable, of brickwork but partly collapsed and missing pots.
Rainwater goods are of cast iron in poor condition.
Windows are rectangular timber vertically hung sliding sash, 6 over 6, with horns, but in poor condition. The centre window in the first floor, currently obscured by vegetation is of rectangular tripartite type, sashed as previous, 6 over 6 to the central light, and 2 over 2 to the sidelights. The entrance comprises a rectangular timber panelled door set between semi-columns which carry an open triangular pediment which contains a radial fanlight, flanked each side by multi-paned sidelights bounded by terminal pilasters, but much covered by creeper and now in poor condition with the right hand column fractured.

The south gable is entirely covered with vegetation so that no openings can be discerned. Projecting from it is a lower three-and-two-storey annex partly of gabled and partly of lean-to form, rendered as previous. The lean-to portion contains one window at ground level, comprising rectangular timber coupled casements with small panes, set in smooth rendered reveals with a projecting sandstone cill. The south wall of this annex has similar render and contains one window to each floor, in the form of horizontally glazed single and coupled casements. The gabled three-storey annex has a slated pitched roof, walls rendered as previous, but is missing the rear wall and part of the roof.

The west or rear elevation consists of the rear of the main front block, with a central projection and a long wing extending to the left. The rear elevation is of three storey height as it includes an exposed basement. Walling is of rubble stonework with brick dressings to openings, and some harling still in place on some portions of the building.
Roofs are slated as previous to the front but much of the roof of the main front block is now open. The central projection has a roof of hipped form. Windows are rectangular except for a tall semi-circular arched opening in the central projection now bereft of its window framing. Surviving windows are mainly of small paned sliding sash type. At basement level there are large segmental arched openings.
The wing to the north has two chimneys in brickwork. The north gable of the north wing is of rubble stonework with roughly squared sandstone quoins to extremities. It contains an open doorway and an open attic window, and is in very poor condition. The east side of the north wing is of single storey height, with slated roof and rendered walling. It contains a segmental arched recess next to the front block of the house, and a large hole broken through the wall at the other end. Between these are a low lean-to projection with a corrugated iron roof.

The north gable of the main block of the house is of two storeys with attics. It is rendered as the front elevation, and has timber barge boards. There is one first floor window, a rectangular timber sliding sash, 6 over 6, with horns, and two windows to the attic.

SETTING: The house is approached by a driveway from the south, bordered by grass verges, but now closed off, and also approached from the north-west through a farmyard to the rear of the house. Immediately in front is a grassed area with some trees. To the rear is a rear yard enclosed by a rubble stone wall on the north side which has a wide and tall segmental archway leading into the yard and contains old flat ironwork gates. The south side of the rear yard is formed by a low range of outbuildings with harled walls and salted roofs, and containing both sashed and casement windows but in poor condition with parts of it now derelict and roofless. The west side of this rear yard was formerly formed by another range of outbuildings but they are now demolished with the rubble still remaining. Beyond this range is another range still standing, forming a second yard, but of no special interest. Beyond that to the west and also to the north-west are corrugated iron farm buildings and modern silos. The main entrance to the farmyard, and now to the house, is formed by the vestiges of a gateway and low rendered screen walls, but without gates.

Historical information

The precise date of the building is not recorded but it appears on the OS map of 1833-4; it may be taken to date from the early 19th century at least. Vacated as a dwelling c 1979 and has remained unoccupied ever since.

References - Primary Sources
1. OS Map of 1833-4.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

This is a late Georgian house which has an attractive and nicely proportioned front façade, including a fine classical doorcase, but it has now fallen into a state of dereliction