Termon House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached symmetrical three-bay three-storey late-Georgian house built c.1815, located to the north side of Termon Road, Carrickmore; rectangular-on-plan facing west with central entrance porch and series of extensions to north.

Roofs are hipped natural slate, blue/black clay ridge tiles; u-profile cast-iron rainwater goods; large central chimney with original pots (now partially demolished); walls are ruled-and-lined rendered; (some roughly coursed squared-and-snecked rubble exposed); projecting ruled-and-lined plinth with chamfered coping; windows are 6/6 timber sliding sashes with projecting masonry cills; 3/6 at second floor, diminished in height, unless otherwise stated. All window frames remain intact but in poor condition, most with broken glass.

Principal (west) elevation is abutted by single-storey porch with hipped natural slate roof (now partially destroyed); single window to right of entrance porch; left side blank; two windows at first floor, left bay contains blank window with projecting masonry cill; three windows at first floor.

Left (north) elevation is abutted by a series of single-storey and two-storey extensions; exposed section is partially overgrown but appears to contain two small casement windows at first and second floor.

Rear (east) symmetrical elevation contains two 6/6 dipartite windows at ground floor; four windows at first and second floor.

Right (south) elevation was until recently, abutted at right by a single-storey glazed conservatory, (the plinth wall is now all that remains; some of the internal plasterwork has fallen off exposing the roughly coursed squared-and-snecked rubble walling;) single window at left; two windows at first and second floor.

Single-storey porch has hipped natural slate roof and is detailed as main block; west elevation contains single window; left cheek contains single square-headed opening with moulded architrave, containing original six-panelled painted entrance door with beaded muntin original ironmongery and doorbell at right.

North extensions (ancillary structures) are pitched and hipped natural slate with red brick corbelled chimneystacks; walls are roughcast rendered; windows are multi-pane timber sliding sashes with projecting masonry cills. This elevation of the main house is enclosed at north by segmental-arched-headed opening and random rubble wall.

Setting

Set in a large estate to the north of Termon Road the house grounds are now largely overgrown, with original paths and roads only partially visible; the house can be accessed from two points on the Termon Road; at west from replacement entrance and at south-east from the original gatelodge, architecturally of no interest. The grounds also contain a stable yard with original stables intact, a chambered grave, boat house and lake.

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

Historical information

The house appears on the first edition of the OS Map (1834) captioned ‘Athenry’. On the second edition (1854) it is captioned ‘Termon Rectory’ and an ornamental lake is also present. On the third edition (1906) it is captioned ‘Termon’.

The Townland Valuation (1828-40) records a dwelling house and various ancillary structures; cellars, servants’ apartments, turf house, larder and dairy as belonging to Rev Chas C Beresford. The buildings are valued at £31 11s 6d. Griffith’s Valuation records the owner and occupier as Rev Samuel Alexander and the house, offices and gate lodges are valued at £40. The buildings are valued at £55 in the first annual revision (1860-63) and remain in the hands of the Alexander family throughout the period covered by the records (1860-1924).

The Diocesan history of Armagh states that, “The Glebe House was built in 1815, at Athenree, at a cost of £3,293 1s 7d, the Board of First Fruits making a gift of £100 and a loan of £1,500…After disestablishment in 1870 the Rectory…passed into the hands of the Alexander family. A Rectory was then purchased in Carrickmore village.’ (p.793)

In 1809 upon being “presented to the Parish by his first cousin, the 2nd Marquis,” the Rev. Beresford obtained the parish’s rectory, which had just been built by his predecessor, and requested a new rectory closer to the parish church for which he “secured a site at Athenree”. His crest appears on the dining room ceiling of Termon house. During his forty-three years as rector, he consecrated St. Columbkille’s Church in 1822, and “built the churches at Sixmilecross and Drummakilly and the Parochial School”. (Armstrong, p.13 and 20; Bence-Jones, p.272; Dixon, p.44)

The subsequent owner, Rev. Samuel Alexander (d.1889), was rector from 1851 until 1880, and married Beresford’s daughter, Charlotte Frances, who built the parish church’s tower and steeple. (Rowan, p.168)

The house remained in the hands of the Alexander family until it was sold in the 1980s. (Armstrong, p.13)

Rowan describes the house as, “A startling instance of the grandeur, at least in terms of scale, that the Church of Ireland clergy conceived as being appropriate to their status.” (Rowan, p.168)

Although the later date has been attributed to this house, the outward appearance of the house and interior suggest an earlier date of c.1790. This date is further suggested by the two fine marble neo-classical fireplaces to the ground floor which appear late eighteenth century in date.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/6/36/1 -First Edition OS Map (1833)
2. PRONI OS/6/6/36/2 -Second Edition OS Map (1853)
3. PRONI OS/6/6/36/3 -Third Edition OS Map (1906)
4. PRONI VAL/1/B/632 -Townland Valuations (1828-40)
5. PRONI VAL/2/B/6/34B&C –Griffith’s Valuations (1858)
6. PRONI VAL/12B/41/2A-F -Valuation Revisions (1860-1924)

Secondary Sources

1. Armstrong, Maurice A. “The Parish of Termonmaguirke: A Bi-centenary History, 1792-1992.” Carrickmore, Omagh: Self-published, 1992
2. Bence-Jones, Mark. “A Guide to Irish Country Houses.” London: Constable, 1988.
3. Dixon, Hugh. “An Introduction to Ulster Architecture.” Second Edition. Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 2008.
4. Rowan, Alistair. “North West Ulster: Londonderry, Donegal, Fermanagh, and Tyrone.” Buildings of Ireland Series. Dublin: Penguin Books, 1979.
5. Fleming, Rev W E C, “Armagh Clergy 1800-2000” Belfast: 2001
6. 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

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
Z. Rarity

Evaluation

A detached symmetrical three-bay three-storey late-Georgian house built c.1815; former rectory of Rev. Charles Cobbe Beresford, rector of the local St. Columbkille Church, (HB11/19/001). The plan form, external proportions, fenestration and many original features remain intact. This house remains a noteworthy building and interest is added by its estate setting with original stable yard to north, chambered grave, boat house and lake. The house is a fine example of its type and continues to display all of the characteristics that make it a building of special architectural and historic interest.