Coachhouse, Springhill

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A 5 bay long 1½ storey outbuilding, gabled, slated, stonebuilt.

The N E elevation overlooks a paved courtyard, the N E side of which is bound by the harness building. The façade has a central segmented arched through opening (access to pigeon house and cartshed beyond). On each side a square headed large opening with sheeted doors and a single door also sheeted. Above centrally placed 3 no. shuttered vertical openings. Walls stonebuilt and whitewashed. Roof natural slated, gabled, no chimneys. ½ round gutter and single downpipe. S W side has the segmented arched through opening with a single squared headed single door to the left hand side. There may have been an earlier one to the right hand side, now built-up, remains of brick trim. Wall built of coursed and random rubble stonework with redbrick trim to opening. Natural slated roof, gabled, ½ round gutter and single downpipe.

N E gable has a centrally placed, square headed, 16 pane double hung sliding sash window with exposed sash boxes. Wall built of random rubble stonework.

The coachhouse is interposed between harness building and pigeon tower and cartshed thus forming the side to 2 courts, the remaining sides bounded by enclosing random rubble walls. The 1st court paved, the 2nd in lawn. The coachhouse forms part of a well ordered layout of estate outbuildings.

Historical information

The coachhouse probably dates from the mid or late 18th cent, during the time of Col William Conynghan. The estate became the property of the National Trust in 1957 (see HB09/06/024B).

References

Primary Sources
1. O.S. Map 1832 Londonderry sh. 46
2. Mid Ulster Houses N.I. p. 28.
3. U.J.A. 3rd Series Vol. 1 (1938) p. 81-83
4. Notes, 1st Survey, E.H.S. Hill Street, Belfast

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A good example of 18th cent. coach house, part of a country house, estate outbuildings, well preserved and part of a carefully laid out group of buildings.

General comments

This building was recorded under HB09/06/027 in the first survey.