Water Superintendent’s house

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-storey/ three-bay dwelling with shallow gabled return of similar height to front, thus forming an L- plan. Main block aligned east-west, with main façade to south. A one-storey extension abuts at rear left corner of main block.

Steeply pitched natural slate roof, with two rock-faced ashlar granite chimneys –one on left gable, the other at rear on right. Two monopitched dormers on front pitch. Roof continues over front eaves to create veranda supported on two cast-iron columns, and secured to front return at right. Decorative finialed barge boards to all gables. Cast-iron cyma recta rainwater goods.

Walls are of rock-faced squared rubble granite (with snecking), laid in irregular courses and strap pointed. Smoothly dressed granite detailing to window and door casings. All windows are sliding sash with smoothly dressed granite cills.

Under veranda at left on main façade is entrance door which has five panels (top three glazed, bottom two herringbone t & g boards) with transom light over. To its right are two windows. The ground floor of the front return has a canted bay window with slated roof and a pair of windows on the first floor. Square timber windows to dormers. The veranda floor has square terracotta tiles laid in diamond pattern with stretcher-bond margins.

The left gable has a window to each floor, and a single-storey return abutting at left.

A lean-to kitchen with monopitched roof runs the full length of the rear elevation. The left end of the main block is gabled and has one window at first floor. There is a casement window, also on first floor, to right of this. Extension abuts right end of wall. A wall encloses the back of the house to form a yard, entered by t+g boarded door on right side.

Right elevation of main block has two windows to ground floor, one window in the gable of the lean-to. The yard wall continues at right.

The rear extension has a gabled natural slate roof, with chimney on left gable (as viewed from front). Main façade has two pairs of windows, and front door on right. Right gable abuts kitchen lean-to; metal flu from kitchen roof rises up gable. There is a window on the left gable. At rear is a pair of windows towards left end.

Lawns on all four sides. Raised flowerbeds, concrete fountain (post-war) and rusticated granite ornament to front garden.

Historical information

Built by the Belfast City & District Water Commissioners in 1905 as a superintendent’s house for the Silent Valley reservoir. Probably designed by L.L. Macassey, Engineer to the BCDWC. Originally a more grandiose building was intended, to be erected in 1895; however, this did not come about.

The two-storey section is similar to the superintendents’ houses at Dunnywater (HB16/01/029) and Knockbreckan (HB25/01/005). The dam was built between 1923 and 1932, and opened the following year. The building is shown in an early 20th century photograph by W.A. Green.

Primary Sources:
1. Green photographic collection, (Ulster Folk & Transport Museum - WAG 585).
2. Original drawings in DOE Water Service, Westland House, Old Westland Rd, Belfast (cat. no. 2D30, 2D34 (1895 drawing), 2D41, 2D80-81.
3. BCDWC Works’ Committee Minutes dated 15 Dec 1898, 23 Feb 1899, 22 May 1899 (PRONI).

Secondary Sources:
1. F. Hamond and T. Porter, ‘A Tour of the Mournes’ (Belfast 1991), p.62.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

This house, which is one of a number of water-related buildings in the Silent Valley, is in the distinctive style of the Belfast Water Commissioners and has a high quality of design (notably its picturesque porch and bargeboards) and execution (squared granite). It has a prominent setting above the Head Road. Together with the nearby entrance gates (HB 16/02/016), it lends great character to this locality.