22 Lislaird Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A large three-bay two-storey-over-basement early nineteenth-century house with attic, located on the west side of Lislaird Road. L-shaped on plan, with return to left side of rear elevation.

Roof is half-hipped natural slate with rolled clay ridge tiles and brick chimneystacks ao cross walls. Aluminium rainwater goods on drive-in-brackets over corbelled eaves. Walling is dry-dashed with smooth cement rendered plinth and quoins. Windows are 6/6 and 1/1 timber sliding sashes (boarded over to south elevation), all with slightly projecting smooth rendered surrounds and sandstone sills.

Principal (garden) elevation faces south and is symmetrical, with cement rendered platband between floors. There are five windows to each floor; that to ground floor centre is wider and lower (possibly a modified door opening); ground floor windows are boarded, first floor windows are 1/1.

West elevation has three irregularly spaced windows to first floor (that to right is 3/1). Ground floor was inaccessible due to dense vegetation. It is abutted by a high stone wall at extreme left.

Rear elevation is abutted by the return at right. The exposed left and central bays each have a window to each floor. The return has two windows to each floor at east, and a boarded door and window opening to north elevation.

East elevation has a door to right side with six raised-and-fielded bolection moulded panels (central two glazed and boarded) and a geometric fanlight, all contained in a projecting cast-concrete surround with cast cornice and fluted panel detail. It is otherwise blank with the exception of a 3/3 window to attic and a diamond-shaped panel in render to first floor.

To rear is a yard, now grassed and overgrown, bounded by several stone outbuildings (some ruinous), and by a high rubble stone garden wall. The outbuildings are two-storey and single-storey with pitched slate roofs and roughly coursed random rubble walling. They include a two storey byre and loft at northwest (openings with timber lintels with the exception of rubble voussoirs to byre entrance), and a long single storey coach and stable range at east; walling is coursed rubble stone, openings all have rubble voussoirs with the exception of an inserted square-headed opening with timber lintel. There is a segmental-headed coach arch at right; timber sheeted doors throughout. The house is accessed at the east by a long partially gravelled avenue, marked at the junction with the road by the remains of a stone gate screen with dressed limestone pillars and squared rubble curved screen walls. The avenue is lined with conifers.

Roof: Half-hipped natural slate
Walling: Dry dashed
Windows: Majority 6/6 timber sashes (some 1/1)
RWG: Aluminium

Historical information

There is a building present on the site from the first edition Ordnance Survey map of 1832-3. This is uncaptioned but a school house is shown to the north. On the second edition of 1854 the building is captioned ‘Lisnacloon Ho[use]’ and a ‘Gate Lodge’ is also shown to the north. A formal garden adjoins the property and corn, flax and tuck mills appear to the east. By the fourth edition (1952) the house has become a ‘Rectory’. The ‘Lodge’ is still captioned as is the school to the north.

OS Memoirs make a cursory mention of the house and its occupier, “Lisnacloon, the residence of James Anderson Esq (land agent to Sir Robert Ferguson) is situated in Lisnacloon townland” (p.143). Lewis also mentions the house as a gentleman’s seat (p.618).

A house in Lisnacloon townland is listed in the Townland Valuation (1828-40) as the dwelling of Sir Robert Ferguson and valued at £12.14s.10d. However, it is not certain that this refers to the current building. Dimensions are given for a house with three additions and outbuildings. Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64) lists the house as the residence of James Anderson Esq who leases it from Sir Robert Ferguson Bt. It is valued at £21 later amended to £25 (undated change). A gate lodge is also listed at a value of £1 and this is leased from James Anderson.

In 1862 the house is being used as a rectory and is occupied by the Rev. M. C. Motherwell and leased from William Knox. It is now valued at £30. In subsequent years there are many changes of occupier corresponding to changes of incumbent in Termonamongan parish. (Clergy of Derry and Raphoe, p.298-9)

Valuers’ notes of 1899 give a plan and dimensions for the house, outbuildings and gate lodge. In 1927 the Reverend Robert Matchitt leases the house from the Trustees of the Church and the valuation is now £20.

In 1933 the house comprises, on the ground floor, three rooms, a kitchen, bathroom and W.C., one r[eception?] used as a store, further store rooms, on the first floor seven bedrooms and two stores and on the second floor two attic rooms, unceiled. The valuer comments, ‘House in fair condition. Good bright finished rooms...Right of way for pedestrians immediately in front of house, offices mainly disused but some are used by tenants of church land and some by Reverend Matchett as fuel stores, and for his goat. House has fairly good position...and has a good view.’

In 1935 the valuer comments that, ‘Kitchen is too large and practically unused, cooking being done on an oil stove. The reception rooms are large and well lighted. Some of the bedrooms are good. Bathroom is...on ground floor.’

The house shows evidence of Georgian proportions but has clearly undergone at least two major phases of remodelling. Rises in valuation suggest remodelling took place c.1860 and field evidence points to further remodelling c.1940.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/6/15/1 – First Edition OS Map (1833)
2. PRONI OS/6/6/15/2 – Second Edition OS Map (1853)
3. PRONI OS/6/6/15/3 – Third Edition OS Map (1904-5)
4. PRONI OS/6/6/15/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map (1951)
5. PRONI VAL/1/A/6/15 – Townland Valuation Map
6. PRONI VAL/1/B/636D – Townland Valuation (1828-40)
7. PRONI VAL/2/A/6/15 – Griffiths’ Valuation Map
8. PRONI VAL/2/B/6/38C – Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
9. PRONI VAL/12/A/6/1 – Valuers’ Note Book (1895-1904)
10. PRONI VAL/12/B/35/16A-F – Annual Revision Records (1860-1929)
11. PRONI VAL/3/D/7/1N/2 – Valuers’ RV Binder (1933-57)
12. Day, A. and P. McWilliams, eds. “OS Memoirs of Ireland, Parishes of County Tyrone I, 1821, 1823, 1833-36, Vol. 5.” Belfast: Institute of Irish Studies, 1990.

Secondary Sources

1. Fawcett, F. W., D. W. T. Crooks and James B. Leslie. “Clergy of Derry and Raphoe.” Belfast and Londonderry: Ulster Historical Foundation, 1999.
2. Lewis, Samuel. “A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, Comprising the Several Counties, Cities, Boroughs, Corporate, Market, and Post Towns, Parishes, and Villages, With Historical and Statistical Descriptions; Embellished with Engravings of the Arms of the Cities, Bishopricks, Corporate Towns, and Boroughs; Of the Seals of the Several Municipal Corporations.” London: S. Lewis & Co., 1837.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Lisnacloon House is a large three-bay two-storey residence with basement and attic, located at the west side of Lislaird Road. Despite being partially derelict, the house retains its original rather austere character, defined by late Georgian proportions. The house was refitted in the mid-twentieth century and although it suffered the loss of some original features, and possibly remodelling of the original entrance, much internal fabric remains. It enjoys an unspoiled setting, accessed through a stone gatescreen by a tree lined avenue. The large farmyard to rear attests to a once prosperous residence. Unfortunately the external alterations and the new side entrance in particualr have reduced the building's architectural interest.