Annie Hill,

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

This is a detached two-storey house ‘Annie Hill’, built c.1820. It is composed of a hipped and pitched main block to the Northwest. This is largely rectangular in plan with a rounded central projection to the front Northwest, and another similar projection to the side Southwest.

There is a two-storey hipped return to the rear Northeast, aligned parallel to the main house. This is joined by a linking two-storey porch extension to the North; the roof is which is sloped inwards to form a butterfly roof with the return.
To the rear Northeast of this two-storey hipped return, is a further two-storey elongated pitched return.

Abutting this return to the East is a single-storey outbuilding with a metal roof. Together these returns form the North-eastern edge of an enclosed rear yard. The yard is enclosed to the Southeast by a single-storey pitched outbuilding. The South-western boundary has a two-storey outbuilding to the left, and a further stepped two-storey to the right. Beyond this to the right, and adjacent to the house, is a small single-storey lean-to.

The house is set at the end of a short concreted access drive to the South of Donaghendry Road. It overlooks extensive fields to the West. To the East and South is a large clustered arrangement of returns and outbuildings.

The front North-western elevation is three bays in width. The central bay has a rounded projection. Windows to the ground and first floor are square-headed with timber casement frames. Windows are set on painted cut-stone sills.

The side North-eastern elevation is partially obscured by the two-storey link block to the left. The main wall has a rounded projection. The projection has square-headed windows with painted cut-stone sills. Classical proportions are reducing to the upper level, although, it should be noted that the house is not otherwise Classical in style.

The side South-western elevation has a further rounded projection with two windows, as previous.

The rear South-eastern elevation is stepped, projecting to the left and recessed to the right. There is a square-headed timber sheeted door to the right. Windows are an assortment of painted timber casement.

Main House:
The roof is pitched with natural slate. Chimneys are simple replacement brick with profiled stepped concrete cappings. Rainwater goods are cast-iron. Roofs have overhanging eaves and verges. Walls are roughcast render to the front section and plain render to the rear; all rest on a painted rendered plinth.

Porch extension:
The porch extension is located to the North-west and adjoins the main front block with the two-storey hipped return. There is a square-headed door to the Northwest. Windows are square-headed timber casement, as previous.

Two-storey hipped return:
The hipped return is located to the rear North, parallel to the main block, and adjacent to the porch extension. Windows are square-headed timber casement, as previous.
The roof is pitched with natural slate. Chimneys are simple brick with profiled stepped capping. Rainwater goods are cast-iron.

Two-storey elongated pitched return:
This return is directly abutting the hipped return.
The North-eastern elevation has square-headed timber casement to the ground floor. The first floor has diamond-shaped windows.
The South-western elevation is facing the yard. It has a mixture of square-headed windows and doors. Some windows are integral with doors. Walls are plain painted render to the left and dry dash render to the right.
The roof is pitched with natural slate. There is a simple brick chimney to the North and a rooflight to the South pitch.

Single-storey outbuilding:
The single-storey outbuilding is adjoining the two-storey return. It has a large timber casement window to the left and a large square-headed opening to the right. The opening has a metal door. The roof is pitched with a corrugated metal roof.

Outbuilding to the South-eastern boundary of the yard:
The rear outbuilding forms the South-eastern boundary of the rear yard. It has a large elliptical-headed coach arch to the left, a large square-headed opening to the centre, and a square-headed timber casement window to the right. External steps leading to the adjacent perpendicular two-storey outbuilding are abutting this elevation to the right.
Walls to the South side are dry dash render with a dentilled stone course to the eaves. Walls to the North side are brick and snecked stone. The roof is pitched with natural slate.
There is a square-headed window to the North gable. There is a further single-storey lean-to North.

Outbuildings to the South-western boundary of the yard:
The South-western boundary has a two-storey outbuilding to the left, which has a cut-stone external stair leading to the first floor. There is a square-headed door to the first floor with a timber sheeted door. There is a further square-headed door to the ground floor.
The two-storey stepped outbuilding to the right, as a mixture of square-headed windows and doors. Windows are timber casement. Doors are a mixture of timber sheeted and half-doors.
Beyond this to the right, and adjacent to the house, is a small single-storey lean-to. The lean-to has a corrugated flat roof. There is a square-headed timber sheeted door to the South.
External walls are dry-dashed with a stepped render base.

Setting:
The house is set at the end of a short access drive to the South of Donaghendry Road. It overlooks extensive fields to the West. To the East an South are a large clustered arrangement of returns and outbuildings. There is a crossroads located to the Northwest, at the junction of Donaghendry Road.

Historical information

A house is shown on the site of the main front block on the 1833-34. In the valuation of 1835 the building is recorded as an ‘old’ house measuring 48ft x 23½ x 20½, with a return of 42½ x 20½ x 11, and outbuildings of 27½ x 20½ x 8½, 105 x 19½ x 8 (thatched), 21 x 14½ x 7½ (thatched), 10½ x 10½ x 11, and 10½ x 10½ x 11. The occupant is listed as a Mrs Holmes, with the rateable value a respectable £12-1-0. It is probable that this structure forms the core of the present dwelling, however, it is also probable that the building was extended and possibly remodelled shortly after this, perhaps c.1840.

The house is marked on the revised OS map of 1853-57 as ‘Annie Hill’, and the return to the north is shown. In the second valuation of 1858 it is noted as the home of a James Weugh, with a John Little Esq. the immediate lessor and the rateable value £15. In 1864 a William H. Dean became the occupant, followed by a William G. Armstrong in 1879. In 1892 the lease was taken up by a Henry Henderson, who appears to have carried out some renovation work to the property in 1899. Mr. Henderson acquired the freehold in 1914. In 1918 a James Glendinning is listed as the owner, followed by a Robert Glendinning in 1946. Mr. Glendinning was still in residence in 1957.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI VAL/1B/611 First valuation, Donaghendry parish, c.1833
2 PRONI VAL/1D/6/4 OS plan of Stewartstown, c.1833(-c.38)
3 PRONI VAL/2D/6/6 OS map, Co T sheet 39, with valuation
references, 1853-57(-59)
4 PRONI VAL/2B/6/11A Second valuation, Donaghendry parish, 1859
5 PRONI VAL/12B/37/20A Annual valuation revision book, Stewartstown ED, 1860-63
6 PRONI VAL/12B/37/20B Annual valuation revision book, Stewartstown ED, 1864-78
7 PRONI VAL/12B/37/20C Annual valuation revision book, Stewartstown ED, 1879-81
8 PRONI VAL/12B/37/20D Annual valuation revision book, Stewartstown ED, 1882-92
9 PRONI VAL/12B/37/20E Annual valuation revision book, Stewartstown ED, 1893-1901
10 PRONI VAL/12B/37/20F Annual valuation revision book, Stewartstown ED, 1902-11
11 PRONI OS/6/156/1 OS plan of Stewartstown, 1906(-c.24)
12 PRONI VAL/12B/37/20G Annual valuation revision book, Stewartstown ED, 1912-29
13 PRONI VAL/3B/7/5 First general revaluation of Northern Ireland, Stewartstown ED, 1935
14 PRONI VAL/3C/7/5 First general revaluation of Northern Ireland, Stewartstown ED, 1936-57

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A detached two-storey house, built c.1820 of uncommon for. This was a distinctive example of an early nineteenth century farmhouse but there have been extensive alterations and loss of historic fabric to the extent that its character has been severely compromised. It is, therefore, no longer of special architectural or historic interest.