Lakeview House, 34 Hillhead, Stewartstown, Dungannon, BT71 5HY

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

This is a detached two-storey Manse, built c.1855. It is rectangular in plan with a single-storey porch to the centre of the front elevation. There is a two-storey return to the rear West elevation, and a further single-storey flat-roofed return to the Southwest. There is a two-storey outbuilding to the rear West. There is a further single-storey outbuilding to the Northwest. The Manse is located to the rear East of the First Presbyterian Church. It is accessed off a long driveway leading from Hillhead Road.

The front East elevation is three windows in width. The gabled single storeycentral entrance porch has a window to the front East elevation and a doorway to the side South. The doorway is replacement uPVC.
All windows to the porch and front elevation are square-headed with replacement uPVC windows, set on cut-stone sills.

The side South elevation is two windows in width. Windows are replacement uPVC as previous.

The rear West elevation is partially obscured by returns. It has no visible openings.

External walls are roughcast render. The roof is hipped with natural slate to the main roof and artificial slate to the porch; it has ovehanging eaves. There are two simple yellow brick chimneys to the apex of the roof. Rainwater goods appear to be cast-iron.

Returns:
The two-storey return has an assortment of square-headed and round-headed windows. There is a square-headed door to the North elevation. The roof is pitched and slated. Roof covering to the front porch is artificial slate.

Outbuildings:
The two-storey outbuilding to the rear West has an irregular arrangement of square-headed openings to the ground and first floor. Windows are replacement uPVC. There is an external staircase to the East elevation leading to a doorway at first floor level.
The roof is pitched with natural slate. Rainwater goods are replacement uPVC.

The single-storey outbuilding to the Northwest has a large square-headed timber sheeted garage door to the gable-end. No other openings are visible. The roof is pitched.

Setting:
The manse is located to the South of Parkers Farm. It is located to the rear of the First Presbyterian Church, which fronts onto Hillhead Road. There is an access road to the South of the Church leading to the Manse. The Manse faces over green fields with a small lake approx 200 metres to the East.

Historical information

The manse is shown on the 1906 OS town plan and first recorded in the valuation books in 1912 (when a Rev. James Donaldson was in residence).
At a later point the manse was occupied by Rev McIlveen (Church of Ireland Minister) until approx. 1979.
It was later occupied by Rev. Boswell until approx 1997.
The cranog to the centre of the adjacent lake was reputed to have been the last hiding place of 'Red' Hugh O'Neill prior to the Flight of the Earls.

The accompaning main church (Stewartstown First Presbyterian - HB09/08/004) is shown on the first edition OS map of 1833-34, and all others to date. Although it is mentioned in the OS Memoirs of 1834 and Lewis’s Topographical Dictionary of 1837, neither supply any other details.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI VAL/1B/611 First valuation, Donaghenry parish, c.1833
2 PRONI VAL/1D/6/4 OS plan of Stewartstown, c.1833(-c.38)
3 ‘Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland…vol.20’, ed. Angelique Day and Patrick McWilliams, (QUB, 1993), p.37 (1834)
4 Lewis, Samuel, ‘Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, vol.11’, (Dublin, 1837)
5 PRONI VAL/2D/6/6 OS map, Co Tyrone sheet 39, with valuation
references, 1859
6 PRONI VAL/2B/6/11A Second valuation, Donaghenry parish, 1859
7 PRONI VAL/12B/37/20A Annual valuation revision book, Stewartstown ED, 1860-63
8 PRONI VAL/12B/37/20B Annual valuation revision book, Stewartstown ED, 1864-78
9 PRONI VAL/12B/37/20C Annual valuation revision book, Stewartstown ED, 1879-81
10 PRONI VAL/12B/37/20D Annual valuation revision book, Stewartstown ED, 1882-92
11 PRONI VAL/12B/37/20E Annual valuation revision book, Stewartstown ED, 1893-1901
12 PRONI VAL/12B/37/20F Annual valuation revision book, Stewartstown ED, 1902-11
13 PRONI OS/6/156/1 OS plan of Stewartstown, 1906(-c.24)
14 PRONI VAL/12B/37/20G Annual valuation revision book, Stewartstown ED, 1912-29
15 PRONI VAL/3B/7/5 First general revaluation of Northern Ireland, Stewartstown ED, 1935
16 PRONI VAL/3C/7/5 First general revaluation of Northern Ireland, Stewartstown ED, 1936-57
17 PRONI VAL/4B/6/6 Second general revaluation of Northern Ireland, Stewartstown ED, 1957-72
18 Stanley Junk, current occupier and caretaker of the Church, provided reference of previous occupiers

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

This is a well proportioned mid-nineteenth century manse. It shares group value with the adjacent Presbyterian Church (HB09.08.004). Although it has been well maintained the replacement windows detracting somewhat from the appearance.

The house sits on an elevated site overlooking the adjacent lake. It enjoys a rural setting to the rear and an urban setting to the front, both of which are well preserved.

General comments

The front porch appears to have been added later. It is possible that some doorcase was lost in the process.