Garramean

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A 3 bay wide 2 storey house, gabled, slated with long back return.

The entrance elevation, which looks in a westerly direction, is symmetrical with a central framed and panelled door with pilasters, topped with scrolls and a plain fanlight. On each side small cant bays with 4 pane double hung sliding sash windows, panes divided horizontally, the lean-to roof over the bays extends over the entrance to form a canopy. At 1st floor 3 no. 8 panedouble hung sliding sash windows centred over the openings below. There is a generous roof overhang supported on a series of paired modillions and the fascia/soffit returns on the gable with a pair of supporting modillions. The wall is finished in a white roughcast with plinth. Natural slates on roof, gable chimney stacks with 4 tall moulded pots each. The north gable has asymmetrical placed single vertical double hung sliding sash window on each floor, while the south gable has 2 vertical 8 pane double hung sliding sash windows on each floor symmetrically arranged.

The long return is 2 storeys, 6 bays long of recent construction with much modelling on the S side. There is flurry of vertical windows, paired dormers, projecting canted staircase bay with stepped window cills and terminating in the last bay with a fully glazed sun room providing excellent viewing of the enclosed tennis court beyond. The gutter lines vary and the roofs are natural slated. Walls finished in grey roughcast and on the whole well done and in sympathy with the main house though more than twice the size.

The house is set back from Circular Road, has a well kept garden, some neat outbuildings and double avenue and entrance gates with cast iron faceted pillars.

Historical information

The main house is probably of 1900 and is shown on the O.S. Map of 1906 with a short return but does not appear on earlier maps. The long return is c 1990. The present owner has occupied the building since 1977 and prior to that owners were Hartley and Dickson. Rex Harrison the actor resided in the house for a short period.

References

Primary Sources
1. O.S. Map 1832 Londonderry sh. 46.
2. O.S. Map 1906 Londonderry sh. 109.
3. Notes, 1st Survey, E.H.S. Hill Street, Belfast
4. Present Owner (2000)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A simple Edwardian period house which has been greatly extended to the rear but carried out in a considered manner. Good grounds and the original avenues and gates of c 1900 retained.