Manor Yard

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A former Victorian stable yard now used as offices and laboratories, comprising single and 2-storey blocks arranged around a yard. Main elevation containing gateway to yard faces north-west.

EXTERIOR ELEVATIONS –
North-west elevation comprises a long single-storey block to the left of a gateway and the gable end of a 2-storey block to the right of the gateway. Roofs of Bangor blue slates in regular courses, with a dressed stone chimney, and small louvred ventilators to the single-storey block; walls of limestone rubble with sandstone quoins to extremities; cast iron gutters with cast iron downpipes. Windows are segmental arched timber sliding sash, vertically hung, 3 over 3, 2 over 2, and 3 over 6, with horns, set in rusticated surrounds with segmental arched heads. Gateway comprises a pair of ornamented and scrolling wrought iron carriage gates set between large square section cut-stone piers which have moulded bases, coved cornices and large weathered caps, flanked each side by screen walls of rubble stonework with similar moulded plinths and large weathered copings.

North-east elevation is comprised of a 2-storey hipped roof block surmounted by a louvred turret, flanked each side by lower single-storey hipped roof blocks. Roofs as previous, with louvred ventilators to each of the single-storey wings; swept pyramidal copper roof to turret of 2-storey block, which has a fish-scale slated battered base to the turret, surmounted by timber louvers, surmounted by a blind panelled stage with corner posts and shaped brackets supporting the roof. Walling as previous, with cut-stone dressings to openings; cut-stone chimney rising from wall of 2-storey block. Windows to left-hand wing are mainly later modern small-paned rectangular, set in chamfered surrounds; window openings in right-hand wing are segmental arched with deep reveals, containing ventilators and grilles. Windows to 2-storey block are, to first floor, segmental arched timber sliding sashes, 2 over 2, with horns, and to the ground floor, larger later fixed lights of plate glass. Set in the angle between the 2-storey block and right-hand wing is a later single-storey flat-roofed addition with modern casements.

South-east, or rear, elevation comprises a long 2-storey hipped block to the left, abutted by a single-storey block to the right. Roofs slated as previous. Walling of 2-storey block is of rubble with cut-stone dressings; walling of single-storey block is of roughly squared snecked rubble with cut-stone dressings to openings. Windows are mainly later modern rectangular small-paned fixed lights with top-hung vents, with stop-chamfered lintels, with some original timber sliding sash windows retained. Projecting forward from the 2-storey block is a later modern single-storey flat-roofed addition with modern metal casement window; modern metal fire escape ladder attached.

South-west elevation: 2-storey, with openings to ground floor only. Roof slated as previous, with a cut-stone chimney and two large louvred ventilators. Cast iron rainwater goods. Walling is of rubble stonework with cut-stone dressings and quoins. Windows are segmental arched, mainly small timber, bottom-hung 4-pane vents, one larger timber sash, vertically hung, 2 over 2, with horns.

COURTYARD ELEVATIONS –
North-west side: rear face of gateway, piers and screen walls similar to entrance front.
Single-storey block: roof slated as previous; walling is partly of rubble masonry with cut-stone dressings to one segmental arched window, reduced from a former doorway, at the right-hand end, with rest mainly comprised of large modern rectangular fixed light windows set between cut-stone piers, with smooth rendered panels below the cills.

North-east side comprises a 2-storey gabled central block flanked by single-storey wings. Roofs slated as previous, with clock face in the front of the pyramidal roofed louvred turret. Walling as previous to exterior elevations. Windows in wings are segmental arched timber sliding sash, 3 over 6, with horns. Left-hand wing has a rectangular timber sheeted door surmounted by a 3-pane fanlight; right-hand wing has a modern glazed doorscreen in corresponding position. Central 2-storey projecting gable, 3-bay, contains a central rectangular sheeted doorway with 3-pane fanlight, to the ground floor, flanked by sashed windows as previous; first floor contains a central segmental arched tongued and grooved sheeted door flanked by small segmental arched windows, timber sliding sash, 2 over 2, with horns.

South-east side comprised of a single-storey block to the left, abutted by a 2-storey block to the right. Roofing and walling as previous to main entrance front. Single-storey bay has a sheeted doorway as previous, and mainly segmental arched timber sashed windows; 2-storey block has timber sashed windows to both floors and two large segmental arched coach openings containing ledged timber doors.

South-west side: 2-storey with an off-centre projecting gable which is similar to the one opposite in the north-east side but without the clock turret. Segmental arched sash windows to each flanking wing.

SETTING: The buildings stand within the Manor House demesne, on the north-east side of the Manor House, and linked to it by a side yard. Side yard entrance, which faces north-west, comprises a gateway without gates, with a pair of square cut-stone piers with humped moulded caps, flanked each side by smooth rendered screen walls. Side yard contains modern lean-to roofed smooth rendered sheds against rear wall, and corrugated iron roofed sheds against south-west wall. Further to the south-west is a small service yard at the side of the Manor House, sharing a common party wall with the side yard of the former stables. Hard surfacing across entrance front of former stable yard, with grassed area to rear and to north-east side.

Historical information

Precise date of buildings not recorded but a block is shown on the OS map of 1860. The extent of that block is less than that shown on the OS map of 1908 which represents the present configuration; nothing is shown in this position on the OS map of 1834. It may be taken that the present buildings date from around 1860, all or at least part of them presumably dating from the 1850s, but possibly enlarged in the 1860s.

References – Primary Sources
1. OS Map 1860, Co Armagh 8.
2. OS Map 1908, Co Armagh 8.

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

X. Local Interest
V. Authorship

Evaluation

This is a former Victorian stable yard complex, now put to mixed use, which retains most of its exterior features, and forms an integral part of the demesne of Loughgall Manor House.