Drumnakilly House,

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached four-bay two-storey house, built c.1840, located to the south side of Drumnakilly Road. Rectangular-on-plan with single-storey monopitched extension to east (c.1900); single-storey lean-to (servants quarters) to south-west abutted by further lean-to and one-and-a-half-storey addition; gabled single-storey porch to north; all built c.1900; attached single-storey outbuilding (later converted and providing accommodation for house, c.1970) to north-east.

Roofs are pitched natural slate with terracotta ridge tiles over corbelled brick eaves; raised sandstone verges; lime-rendered corbelled brick chimneys. Cast iron rainwater goods. Walls are lime-rendered over brick with chamfered stone quoins. Windows are square-headed timber framed 6/6 sliding sashes; all have sandstone quoins.

Principal elevation faces west. The ground floor is abutted to right end by a lean-to outbuilding with corrugated metal roof, which is further abutted at left by the remains of a monopitched addition (water tower rising from angle). The exposed section has four unequally spaced windows (that to left is dipartite). First floor has six unequally spaced windows at first floor, from left, 6/3, 6/6, 6/1, 1/1; the elevation here is broken by the water tower, thereafter the two remaining window openings are partially boarded. The outbuilding contains three openings (now blocked).

North gable is blank and abutted at left by porch and attached outbuilding. Gabled porch contains a dipartite window surmounted by label mould; east cheek contains a square-headed six-panelled timber entrance door surmounted by label-mould with label-stops.

East elevation is completely abutted at ground floor by lean-to addition and, at right end, by the monopitched outbuilding; first floor has six equally spaced windows. The lean-to has a vertically-sheeted timber entrance door with transom light within gabled dormer flanked at left by single 3/3 sliding sash window and at right by four 3/3 sliding sash windows.

South gable contains two windows at ground floor.

Setting:-
Set to west are outbuildings in double-courtyard arrangement; attached outbuilding to north-east has mono-pitched natural slate roof and replacement roughcast walling to left; lime-rendered to right; at left, two-bays are now part of house, accessed through timber sheeted door in wind-break porch; windows are metal casements. At east of yard, one-and-a-half-storey brick stable block with mono-pitched corrugated metal roof contains segmental-headed carriage-arches; windows to attic now blocked; rear wall of stable-block opens onto further courtyard enclosed to north by recent farm buildings and to south by single-storey roughcast outbuilding with pitched roof; to east, single-storey lime-rendered stable-block has hipped natural slate roof over brick eaves; round-arched-headed openings now blocked. Further recent farm buildings to eastt. Replacement dwelling, built 2008 to west.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Render
Windows: Timber
RWG: Cast iron

Historical information

A building is present on the first edition Ordnance Survey map of 1833 which could have formed the basis of the current house, however it is much smaller in plan and uncaptioned. The current ‘Drumnakilly House’ first appears, captioned, on the second edition (1854). A lodge is also shown, uncaptioned.

Map evidence is supported by valuation evidence; the house is listed in the Townland Valuation (1828-40) as the property of Alexander McCausland and valued at £5.10s. By 1860 Griffith’s valuation assigns a value of £22 to the property, which is listed as ‘house, offices, gate-house and land’. In 1873 Captain Luke Scott becomes the occupier and in 1878 John James Gilmore. The lessors are the Representatives of Alexander McCausland (1873) and then Alexander O. S. McCausland (1880). Daniel Levingstone becomes the occupier in 1891, buying the freehold in 1899 under land purchase legislation of the late nineteenth century. In 1901 the valuation of the property is reduced to £17 and the accompanying valuers’ notes comment, ‘This house was formerly the residence of the owner of this estate and is now a farm house. There are more offices than present occupier requires’. A plan and dimensions are given for the house, outbuildings and gate lodge.

After 1933 the house is owned by Orr Kyle and the valuation is reduced to £8 and £5.10s for outbuildings. It comprises seven rooms a kitchen, p[antry?], scullery and eight bedrooms. The house and outbuildings are all of rubble masonry and slated. The gate lodge is occupied on a service tenancy.

Dean reports that the gate lodge had been demolished by 1994. (p.141)

According to the owner, the house was built in stages, the current house dating from c.1840, and extended c.1900 possibly to include the lean-to corridor to the east and servants quarters to west. This is not reflected in the Valuation records however. The attached outbuilding was converted to part of the house c.1970.

References:

Primary Sources
1. PRONI OS/6/6/35/1 – First Edition OS Map (1833)
2. PRONI OS/6/6/35/2 – Second Edition OS Map (1854)
3. PRONI OS/6/6/35/3 – Third Edition OS Map (1906)
4. PRONI OS/6/6/35/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map (1935-7)
5. PRONI VAL/1/A/6/35 – Townland Valuation Map
6. PRONI VAL/1/B/646 – Townland Valuation (1828-40)
7. PRONI VAL/2/A/6/35 – Griffiths’ Valuation Map
8. PRONI Printed Griffith’s Valuation, Union of Omagh (1860)
9. PRONI VAL/12/A/6/34 – Valuers’ Note Book (1860)
10. PRONI VAL/12/B/41/17A-F – Annual Revision Records (1860-1924)
11. PRONI VAL/3/A/6/42B – First NI General Revaluation Map

Secondary Sources:
1. Dean, J. A. K. “The Gate Lodges of Ulster: A Gazetteer.” Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1994.
2. Information from current owner

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A substantial detached four-bay two-storey house, built c.1840, located to the south side of Drumnakilly Road. The house, of simple traditional materials, and lime-rendered, retains much of its original fabric. It has an unusual plan form that appears to have developed in an ad hoc manner, reflecting changing circumstances. It is an example of this type of minor manor house that has seen reduced circumstances and been adapted accordingly. The double-courtyard arrangement of outbuildings is also of some interest. Unfortunately, it is to be demolished.