'Arleston',

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached symmetrical three-bay two-storey house, built c.1855, located to the south side of Old Mountfield Road, Omagh. Rectangular-on-plan facing east; two storey return and single-storey extension attached at south adjoining further perpendicular range of outbuildings aligned north-south.

Roof is pitched natural slate, blue/black clay ridge tiles; two smooth rendered painted party-wall chimneystacks with decorative clay chimneypots. Projecting corbelled eaves course supporting u-profile cast-iron rainwater goods; decorative carved bargeboards to gables supported on projecting rafters. Walls are ruled-and-lined rendered with projecting plinth (and projecting string course to canted bays). Windows are 2/2 horizontally divided timber sliding sashes with projecting painted masonry cills.

Principal elevation faces east with central single-storey entrance porch with chamfered corners, flanked by two-storey canted bay at each side. Entrance porch contains original six-panelled entrance door with modern altered fanlight and original ironmongery, accessed by single stone step; window to each cheek. Entrance surmounted by wrought-iron balcony accessed from replacement timber doors at first floor. Canted bays have hipped natural slate roof with leaded ridge and ogee profile cast iron rainwater goods; window at each cheek at each floor.

Left (south) gable is abutted at left by single-storey conservatory; two dipartite windows at right (left divided by wall of conservatory); two dipartite windows at first floor surmounted by continuous hoodmould with label stops; small semi-circular hoodmould to apex.

Rear (west) elevation is abutted at centre by two-storey pitched return; west elevation has a scattered fenestration of mixed window types; access through replacement timber entrance screen at left, two original timber sliding sashes at right (left stained glass, right diminished). At first floor at centre a square-headed stained glass window is flanked by a timber sliding sash at right and timber casement with margin lights at left; diminished timber casement with margin lights to apex. Re-entrant angle at left is abutted by two-storey flat-roof extension; re-entrant angle at right is abutted by single-storey extension.

Right (north) gable is detailed as left (without conservatory).

Two-storey flat roof extension west elevation contains replacement timber casement at ground floor; dipartite timber sliding sash at first floor; north elevation is blank.

Single-storey extension is detailed as main house with red brick corbelled chimneystack with clay chimneypot; single stained glass timber sliding sash at south; north elevation contains single square-headed timber sheeted door with transom light. West gable is abutted by (slightly higher) single-storey extension detailed as main block with central red brick chimneystack. North elevation contains through passage to courtyard/garden at left, exposed section contains three square-headed timber sheeted doors and two 1/1 timber sliding sashes. South elevation is abutted by two lean-to glass houses. West gable adjoins perpendicular range.

Roof Natural Slate
Walling Render
Windows Timber
RWG Cast-iron

Historical information

The house is first shown on the second edition OS map of 1854. It is uncaptioned and there is no driveway at this stage, suggesting it may have recently been built. On the third edition (1906) it is captioned ‘Riverdale’ and it has been extended to the rear. Various outbuildings have also appeared. On the fourth edition (1935-7) it is captioned ‘Arleston’.

The building is listed in Griffith’s Valuation as a house, offices and land valued at £20, later amended to £25. The occupier is James Scott and the lessor George Buchanan. In 1864 the house passes to A C Buchanan in fee. In 1888 King Houston leases the house from Lewis Buchanan.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/6/35/2 – Second Edition OS Map (1854)
2. PRONI OS/6/6/35/3 – Third Edition OS Map (1906)
3. PRONI OS/6/6/35/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map (1935-7)
4. PRONI OS/6/6/35/5 – Fifth Edition OS Map (1964)
5. PRONI VAL/2/A/6/35 – Griffith’s Valuation Map
6. PRONI VAL/2/B/6/47A – Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
7. PRONI VAL/12/E/186/1/ – Valuation Town Plan
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/41/36A-M – Annual Revision Records (1860-1929)
9. PRONI VAL/3/G/153/1/2– Valuation Map .

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Detached symmetrical three-bay two-storey house, built c.1855, located to the south side of Old Mountfield Road, Omagh. The house remains largely intact in plan form massing and proportion, and retains original detailing. However, the building is a late example of its type and a number of alterations and extensions detract from its character and interest.