Harrymount House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Demolished house which was described in the Department's First Survey of March 1979 as: 'Slated Gabled. Gable chimneys. Three Bay.Five FF windows. Double Hung/ Georgian Glazed - Ground Floor 4 Windows with central door. Smooth rendered architraves. Walls rendered in curious vertical white/natural banding. Return servants wing may have been part of the older house'

Historical information

Once home of the Rev.Henry Jenny rector of Donacloney and Seagoe. First recorded house on this site 1709.

Listed on 26th August 1981 the Department was consulted upon a NI Housing Executive grant and HB grant was applied for in 1984 for - ‘repairs to chimneys, roof, replacement guttering, new windows and re-pointing’. Kitchen and bathroom to be provided to modern standards. March 1985 - Department agreed to LBC scheme.

In June 1992 it was recorded that the chimneys were rebuilt in dark brown clay bricks and uPVC rainwater goods installed.
Some re-pointing has been carried out and is ‘crude’. Windows have been replaced to front and some to rear with uPVC top hung. Front door and sidelights have been replaced in hard wood and varnished. Following this the Historic Buildings Branch asked Planning Service to take enforcement action on the windows, rainwater goods and chimneys. However Planning Service were unable to pursue the case at this time. A meeting took place with the elderly owner in September 1993.

1994 PS decided to make yearly visits but not to enforce. Regular monitoring followed but no prosecution.

In March 2004 A new owner engaged with the Department to repair Harrymount House as a family home. The Historic Buildings Unit objected to intial proposals but planning approval issued following discussion in August 2006.

In January 2007 Historic Buildings Unit was contacted and informed that the building had been demolished as part of the renovation works. Planning Service brought a prosecution against the owner and builder on behalf of the Department in November 2007. Owners and contractor pleaded guilty to unauthorised demolition of listed building. Owners were fined £15k each and contractor fined £20k. In June 2008 on appeal, the fines were reduced to £500 each for the owners and £100 for the contractor.

Primary References:

UAHS Craigavon List p8
Dublin Gazette October 1709
NIEA Listed Building File

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

This building had been a well proportioned, two storey, five bay house in the Georgian style with fine entrance door topped by an eliptical fanlight prior to its demolition c2006.