Yardman's House,

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

An attached two-storey, three-bay house dating from c.1810, forming the eastern part of an east-west range located in the centre of the farmyard of Holy Hill House (HB10/11/001A). Part of the enclosed farmyard to Holy Hill House (HB10/11/001B-L), situated north-east of Strabane town.Rectangular on plan.

Pitched natural slate roof; aluminium rainwater goods; painted cement rendered chimneystack; aluminium rainwater goods. Walling is painted smooth rendered over contrasting base course. Windows are 6/6 replacement timber sash windows with painted masonry sills.

North and south elevation each consist of three irregularly spaced openings to each floor including replacement timber sheeted door.

East elevation has two windows.

West elevation is abutted by barn and cellars (HB10/11/001D)

Setting
The building occupies a farmyard
setting to west of the main house. Concrete farmyard and associated outbuildings are set within a demesne consisting of parkland, pasture and gardens.

Roof: Pitched natural slate
Walling: Cement rendered and whitewashed
Windows: Replacement timber sash
Rainwater goods: Aluminium U-profile

Historical information

This outbuilding is 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.

From secondary source evidence, it seems that Holy Hill estate was 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 was likely 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, including the walled garden. While James’ son William, a former High Sheriff in Co. Donegal in 1854 who became Deputy Lieutenant of Tyrone in 1876, also probably improved the estate until his death in 1896, it is highly likely that subsequent owners did not make any further significant changes.

OS Memoirs are lavish in their praise of “Mr. Sinclair,…[the latter, J.P. Sinclair] the only resident proprietor [in the parish of Leckpatrick] (p.117). “…the prosperity of this new colony is chiefly imputable to the watchful care of the proprietor, whose skill in every department of agriculture enabled him to suggest the most effectual means of improvement, whilst his liberality induced him to supply in a great measure the means. 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” (p.119).

The building abuts the barn with cellars (HB10/11/001D) and was built to provide accommodation for a yardsman or coachman, according to the current owner. 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 difficult 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. It was sympathetically refurbished in the late twentieth century.

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
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A well detailed farm worker's house 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). The building retains its style and proportions and has been well-maintained (although with isolated sympathetic replacements). Historical evidence seems to suggest an early nineteenth century date for the farm buildings. Attached to the barn with cellars (HB10/11/001D) in the centre of the farmyard group, it has group value with the other listed structures at Holy Hill. The outbuildings as a group reflect 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 HB10/11/001F & P