Attached Outbuilding at Holy Hill House,

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Single-storey range of buildings dating from c.1810 and forming part of an extensive farm complex in the demesne of Holy Hill House (HB10/11/001A-L). Rectangular on plan, aligned east-west. Located on north-east of the farmyard and just west of Holy Hill House (HB10/11/001A).
All components have pitched natural slate roofs (unless otherwise stated); there are no rainwater goods; walling is thick limewashed rubble stone over painted base course; multi-pane timber windows openings with contrasting frames and no cills.

The main range faces south and consists of a former slaughter house and apple house, with stick house to left end.

West elevation is blank and is abutted by a low whitewashed, rubble walled enclosure, formerly used as an Ash Pit.

North elevation is abutted by a lean-to structure (abutting the farmyard wall) and containing entrance door only, formerly dog house.

East elevation abuts the main house (rear extension).

Setting
The building occupies a farmyard
setting to west of the main house and abuts the farmyard wall; of rubble stone construction. The farmyard wall at this side terminates at the byres building (HB10/11/001H) at a gated access with painted cast metal gates on rubble stone piers; stone piers with painted cast metal cockerel finials, installed by current owner.
Concrete farmyard and associated outbuildings are set within a demesne consisting of parkland, pasture and gardens.

Roof: Pitched natural slate
Wall: Whitewashed rubble
Windows:
Rainwater goods: None

Historical information

The outbuildings are present on all three editions of the OS map (1833, 1854, 1905). Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64) lists the following outbuildings with measurements: two dairies, a granary house, a coach house, a fowl house, a boiler shed, two stables, a shed, a cow house and two offices.

John Sinclair commissioned William Starrat in 1736 to draw up a map of the estate, which unfortunately omitted all buildings. An estate map in the Abercorn papers, dated 1804, captions “Holly Hill George Sinclair Esq.” but again omits any buildings.

According to secondary sources Holy Hill estate appears to have been cultivated and improved and the house enlarged in the 1730s and 1760s, by John Sinclair, owner from 1718 until 1770. During the ownership (1770-1804) of his son, George, who had been apprenticed as a linen merchant, the estate was cultivated and a mill established after 1779. Under the ownership of his nephew James, J.P., from 1804-1865, the estate was greatly cultivated and many estate buildings were erected.

OS Memoirs are lavish in their praise of “Mr. [James] Sinclair,…the only resident proprietor [in the parish of Leckpatrick] and his “skill in every department of agriculture [which] enabled him to suggest the most effectual means of improvement, whilst his liberality induced him to supply in a great measure the means. The woods of Holyhill yielded timber for [his tenants’] houses and farming implements and its nurseries provided quicks and trees for their gardens and fences, to ask for which was as great a source of satisfaction to the donor as to receive it would have been to others. It would afford a good practical lesson to many of our proprietors to visit these newly formed farms. It would suggest, since so much has been done where climate and soil were to be contended with, what might not be done under more favourable circumstances.” (p119) “Mr. Sinclair gets 6 guineas an acre for his turf bog, but his tenants are not charged with it…Turnips have long been cultivated with much success by Mr. Sinclair…The value of irrigation has been satisfactorily evinced…at Holyhill…the happy effects of the good examples set by our solitary resident proprietor and the resident incumbent who display both skill and taste for farming, are daily evinced in the adoption of their principles by their neighbours…Mr. Sinclair and Mr. Brownlow maintain each a number of labourers. Holyhill mountain affords a good deal of labour in providing turf for Strabane and Lifford and their neighbourhoods…” (p.121)
“Clay has been burned by Mr Sinclair…for manure…Mr Sinclair and Mr Brownlow have watered their meadows with great success…Few oxen have been used in husbandry and these only by Mr Sinclair.” (p.122)

According to the current owner the buildings were in use as a slaughter house, apple house and kennels. The ash pit was used to collect offal from the slaughterhouse, which was then used as fertiliser. From inspection, it seems likely that the farmyard was largely constructed in a single phase of improvement, with some later additions. While their vernacular characteristics make them hard to date with certainty, their appearance suggests an early nineteenth century date. This is supported by the OS Memoirs record of the agricultural efficiencies put in place by James Sinclair, who resided from the period beginning 1804.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI T.1652 – Sir Josias Bodley’s plantation maps of all baronies in Co Tyrone
2. PRONI T/371/H – Civil Survey Barony of Strabane (1655-67)
3. PRONI D597/4/1 Petty’s Down Survey maps (c1655-75)
4. PRONI D1854/1/23 – Book of Survey and Distribution (c.1680)
5. PRONI D623/D/1/6 – Abercorn papers – map of Gortcrone c1720-1750
6. PRONI D623/A/15/441 – Abercorn Papers – Letter from Abercorn to Nisbitt (13 Jan 1756)
7. PRONI T2541/1A/1/4/89 – Letter from Sinclair to Abercorn (1757)
8. PRONI D623/A/43/147 – Abercorn papers – letter from Mrs Elizabeth Sinclair to Abercorn (1779)
9. PRONI D623/D/1/22 – Abercorn papers – map of manor of Cloghogle (Jan 1804)
10. PRONI OS/6/6/5/1-3 – Ordnance Survey Maps (1833, 1854, 1905)
12. PRONI VAL/1/A/6/5 – Townland Valuation Map(1828-40)
13. PRONI VAL/1/B/640 – Townland Valuation Records (1828-40)
14. PRONI VAL/2/A/6/5 – Griffith’s Valuation Map (1856-64)
15. PRONI VAL/2/B/6/43B – Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
16. PRONI VAL/12/B/42/22A-F – Annual Revision Records (1860-1925)

Secondary Sources

1. Bence-Jones, Mark. “A Guide to Irish Country Houses.” Second Revised Edition. London: Constable and Robinson, 1990.
2. Bradley, J, etc. “The Fair River Valley – Strabane Through the Ages.” Belfast: Ulster Historical Foundation, 2000
3. 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.
4. Day, A. and P. McWilliams, eds. “OS Memoirs of Ireland, Parishes of County Tyrone II, 1825, 1833-5, 1840, Vol. 20.” Belfast: Institute of Irish Studies, 1990.
5. Diocesan Histories
6. Dooher, J. “Commit They Work to God: The History and Times of the Sinclairs of Hollyhill.” In Concordia (1995). Cited in “The Sinclairs of Holy Hill.” Chap. In “Bready Ancestry: Bready and District Ulster-Scots Development Association. Http://www/breadyancestry.com/index.ph?id=35. Accessed 17 March 2009.
7. Hutchinson, W. R. “Tyrone Precinct: A History of the Plantation Settlement of Dungannon and Mountjoy to Modern Times. Belfast: W. Erskine Mayne, Ltd., 1951.”
8. 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
9. Reid, Thomas. Travels in Ireland in the Year 1822, Exhibiting Brief Sketches of Moral, Physical, and Political State of the Country: With Reflections of the Best Means of Improving Its Condition. London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, 1823.
10. Roulston, William J. “The Parishes of Leckpatrick and Dunnalong: Their Place in History.” Strabane, Co. Tyrone: Self-published, 2000.
11. Rowan, Alistair. “North West Ulster: Londonderry, Donegal, Fermanagh, and Tyrone.” Buildings of Ireland Series. Dublin: Penguin Books, 1979.
12. Sinclair Monument, photo in Dillon, Charles and Henry A. Jefferies, ed. “Tyrone: History and Society.” Templeogue, Dublin: Geography Publications, 2000.
13. “The Sinclairs of Holy Hill.” Chap. In “Bready Ancestry: Bready and District Ulster-Scots Development Association. Http://www/breadyancestry.com/index.ph?id=35. Accessed 17 March 2009.
14. “Our Love Families.” Http://www.love-genealogy.com/love-genealogy-generation-07.htm. Accessed 2 March 2009.
15. Young, Robert Magill. “Belfast and the Province of Ulster in the Twentieth Century.” Pike's New Century Series, ed. W. T. Pike. Brighton: W. T. Pike, 1909.
16. “The Parish of Leckpatrick: A Brief History.” Undated packet.
17. “The Church,” “Monuments,” “The Parish,” In “The Area.” “Church of Ireland Church of St. Patrick, Parish of Leckpatrick.”

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
Z. Rarity

Evaluation

An intact and good quality vernacular outbuilding range with limewashed rubblestone walls and pitched natural slate roofs; part of an extensive farm complex located within the demsene of Holy Hill, which has Plantation origins(HB10/11/001A-L). Historical evidence seems to suggest an early nineteenth century date for the farm buildings. The building retains its early style and proportions and has been well-maintained (although with isolated sympathetic replacements). Set next to the house, it makes a positive contribution to the demesne and has group bvaluen with the other listed structures at Holy Hill.. This relatively rare farmyard group reflects the development of farming techniques necessary for the efficient running of a large estate.

General comments

This record has been renumbered as part of a group - previously HB10/11/001B, C, D, E