Rocklow

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached three-bay two-storey former manse, built c.1860, located to the south side of Beltany Road. Rectangular-on-plan with projecting bay and porch to re-entrant angle to north; short return to south.

Roof is hipped natural slate with blue/black clay ridge tiles over deep overhanging eaves with uPVC fascia; roughcast chimneys with clay pots. Walls are roughcast rendered with painted sandstone quoins over smooth projecting plinth. Windows are square-headed timber framed 1/1 sliding sash in chamfered sandstone surrounds; painted masonry sills.

Principal elevation faces north; projecting left bay is abutted at ground floor by canted bay containing dipartite window and window to each cheek; tripartite window at first floor; ordnance survey crows foot mark to quoin; central bay abutted at ground floor by smooth rendered porch containing square-headed timber-sheeted entrance door with sidelights and transom light surmounted by dipartite window at first floor; right bay contains dipartite window at each floor.

East elevation contains uPVC casement and 2/2 sliding sash window at ground floor; two 2/2 sliding sash windows at first floor.

South elevation is abutted at centre by return; exposed sections at left and right each contain uPVC casement window to each floor. Return contains original timber-sheeted door to centre flanked to left and right at each floor by uPVC casement window (that to first floor left contains leaded stained glass.

West elevation contains 2/2 and 1/1 sliding sash window at ground floor; two 3/6 sliding sash windows at first floor.

Setting:-
Set within mature gardens; accessed from road at east through pair of cast-iron gates supported on rusticated square piers in alcove entrance with balustraded walling; bounded to other sides by fence and hedging. To south, rear yard accessed through pair of square piers in roughcast walling; enclosed to south by one-and-a-half-storey hipped roughcast outbuilding and to west by single-storey flat-roofed garage.

Roof Natural slate
Walling Roughcast
Windows Timber / uPVC
RWG uPVC

Historical information

This house was built as a manse c.1860. It first appears on the third edition of the OS Map (1905-6), captioned “Rocklow” with two outbuildings to the southwest and a third, now gone, to the south that enclose a square outbuilding court. Previous editions show earlier buildings to the south east of the present site. The OS map of 1973-4 shows a new ‘Manse’ to the north of ‘Rocklow’.

Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64) describes the earlier property on the site as a “house, office and land” occupied by the Rev. Josiah Mitchell, and leased from Claude Houston, with buildings valued at £3. However, the printed version of Griffith’s Valuation also lists a ‘house in progress’ on the plot. It appears to be this new house which is listed in Annual Revisions as the home of Rev. Josias Mitchell and valued at £13.15s. The new property is leased from Charlotte Houston.

A history of the congregation by McCandless and McElhinny notes that in 1863 a specification was drawn up to replace the outbuildings that remained from the previous building on the site. A slated two-storey barn was to be constructed and the contractor was to ‘take all the old building down and take out all the windows and woodwork as carefully as possible’ using ‘as many stones and bricks from the old buildings as possible.’ (p.102)

Various changes in occupier ensue, Rev. Thomas Hamill (1881), Rev J A Campbell (n.d.), Rev Robert Wallace (n.d.), Rev W H Morrow (1921) and others. There are also changes of lessor but Rev Morrow becomes the occupier in fee in 1922.

Post 1934 the house continues to be occupied by ministers and the value is raised to £35 (undated change). The house comprises a D[rawing room?], D[ining room?], kitchen, pantry, scullery, study, three bedrooms, a boxroom, maid’s room and a bath and WC. ‘No light’ has been deleted and ‘Electricity-mains’ inserted (undated change). A plan and dimensions are given. The valuer notes in 1935 that the house is a manse belonging to Trinity Presbyterian Church. ‘No light or water laid on’ but ‘this is a very desirable type of house in good repair and well situated…The main rooms are of comfortable size and design. Bath (h&c). No modern lighting. Water supply very sparse.”

The congregational history notes that Omagh-Trinity congregation arose out of dissatisfaction over the settlement of Mr Hugh Delap in the old Omagh congregation in 1754. Mr Josias Mitchell was Minister from 1842 to 1879 and built a new church in 1856. It seems that the new manse was also built around this time. (p.694)

The manse was sold in 1970 and a new manse built on an adjoining site. (McCandless and McElhinny, p.105)

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/6/34/1-4 - OS Maps First to Fourth Edition (1833, 1854, 1905-6, 1936-7)
2. PRONI VAL/2/A/6/34C – Griffiths Valuation Map
3. PRONI VAL/2/B/6/47B – Griffiths Valuation Book (1856-64)
4. PRONI Printed Griffith’s Valuation – Union of Omagh (1860)
5. PRONI VAL/12/D/6/34F – Valuation Revisions Map
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/4/36B-F – Annual Revisions records (1860-1929)
7. PRONI VAL/3/D/7/8FF/2 – Valuers RV Binder (1933-57)

Secondary Sources

1. “A History of Congregations in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland 1610-1982” authorised by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Belfast: Presbyterian Historical Society of Ireland, 1982
2. McCandless, J., McElhinny, C. “The People of Trinity Presbyterian Church Omagh 1754-2004” Omagh: Trinity Presbyterian Church, 2004

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A detached three-bay two-storey former manse, built c.1860, located to the south side of Beltany Road. This well-proportioned house retains much of its original character and has some local interest. However, it is of a relatively late date and not among the best examples of the type.