Boat House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A charming split-level boat house of coursed sandstone in Tudor-Gothic style to the SW of Crom Castle (HB12/02/ 002) .

Pitched natural slate roof with decorative timber bargeboards with finial supported to each gable by a timber bracket. Overhanging eaves with exposed rafter tails. Half-round cast-iron rainwater goods. A group of three chimneys to left gable rest on advanced chimneybreast; each is square-in-section with moulded caps, and set at an angle on the shaft. All walls are coursed sandstone with slightly advanced base course.

Principal elevation faces SW to the lake and is accessed by stone flagged landing platform. It is enclosed from the lough by a coursed sandstone wall with stringcourse and dressed copings. This elevation is two-storey; it has a crenellated boat shed to ground floor and a viewing gallery to first floor, which is narrower with a cobbled terrace around three sides.

The boat shed has crenellated parapet around all three sides with a moulded stringcourse below. The roof of which creates a cobbled veranda to the viewing gallery. To centre is a Gothic opening with moulded cornice flanked by a triangular buttress rising above spring of arch level. To each end is a narrow Tudor opening; that to right leads to stone stairs to viewing gallery and rear elevation – that to left has a t+g sheeted door with decorative hinges into a small changing room (locked and not inspected). Left gable has two narrow geometrically glazed windows. Right gable is blank. The rear elevation is built into the bank.

The viewing gallery has a canted bay window to SW elevation with stone stop-end chamfered reveals and hipped natural slate roof. The front face contains 3x2 geometrically glazed window with similar 1x1 glazed cheeks. The exposed left and right sections are blank. The right gable has a t+g sheeted door (as before) set within stepped and roughly dressed reveals sweeping inwards to bottom. To either side are two blind narrow arrow loop openings. The left gable has two similar openings to left and an advanced chimneybreast to centre; exposed right section is blank. The rear (NE) elevation is flanked by a Tudor-arched opening that leads to the cobbled veranda and stairs down to boat shed. Each opening has a crenellated and moulded head with shield in spandrel. The rear of the main block has a central Tudor-arched opening containing a door (as before) and accessed by a stone step; over is a drip mould. Above is a narrow window opening with splayed reveals.

Historical information

This boat house was erected in the period 1839-42 by John Crichton, third Earl of Erne, and was the headquarters of the Lough Erne Yacht Club. The lower terrace and slipway were added in 1843-44. It is cited as Boat House and Landing Stage on the 1857 OS 6" map. The building's Dublin-based architect, George Sudden, was also responsible for the rebuilding of the castle after the 1841 fire. The Boat House closed in 1914 as a mark of respect for many members of local gentry families who were killed in the war.

Primary sources:
1. OS 6" map, 2nd edition, 1857, Co Fermanagh sheet 39 (PRONI OS 6/4/39/2).

Secondary sources:
1. Terence Reeves-Smyth, Crom Castle Demesne (National Trust, 1990).
2. Alistair Rowan ‘North West Ulster’ pp 221-224 (Harmondsworth, 1979).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A charming Tudor-Gothic style boat house designed by George Sudden in early 1840s, delightfully set within Crom Estate with many fine details. It also reflects the social climate of the upper classes in the later 19th century. Along with the other estate related structures it blends in with its natural surroundings.

General comments

This record was previously numbered HB12/02/009.