White Water Lodge

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two storey dwelling of T plan adjacent to the White Water gate (HB16/05/007A). Ground level to front and right elevation has been raised. It may originally have been two dwellings, one to each floor.

The stem of the T facing west to the driveway. This description is based on this elevation being the main façade. It is approached by a rendered masonry causeway, the driveway to Mourne Park having been embanked to bring it level with the approaches to the bridge carrying the main road over the White Water River.

Natural slate roof hipped to all gables. The natural slates on the east pitch and part of the west pitch of the east section have been replaced with artificial slates. Clay ridge tiles. Eaves project and are boxed in. There is a large corbelled and rendered chimney at the junction of the top and stem of the T. Half-round plastic gutters; down pipes of cast iron.

The walls are generally smooth cement rendered with the exception of the east elevation (lime render over granite rubble), and exposed ground floor faces of the T’s stem (which are unrendered ashlar granite). There is a projecting plinth course only to the front wall. All windows are 4/4 timber sliding sashes with finely dressed cills. Those openings in walls which are cement rendered also have stopped chamfered arrises to their heads and jambs.

The ground floor façade of the principal elevation is accessed by an archway through the causeway to the first floor entrance door. This section of wall has a pair of 4/4 painted timber sliding sash windows. At first floor is a canted oriel window with a 2/2 (horizontally divided) sliding sash windows. The roof of this oriel has a canted natural slate roof.

To the left side at first floor, part of the entrance causeway (which is of cement rendered brick) has been enclosed to form an entrance hall in the angle between the left top and tail sections of the T. This extension has a monopitch natural slate roof falling from the main roof. As this later work was not tied into the existing building, settlement has taken place and there are some serious cracks. This extension now contains the main entrance to the house and is approached by two steps (one in concrete, the other in granite). The door has two glazed panes over two timber panels.

On the north face, which is rendered, there are two openings through the entrance causeway, both with deep stop end chamfered jambs. The first gives access through to a small garden at the front of the building, and the second forms a porch way to the ground floor entrance (detailed as the doorway above). To ground floor left, on the gable of the top left section of the T, is a 3/3 sash window. Above the doorway is a paired 1/1 casement window. At first floor left, above the 3/3 window, is a 2/2 (horizontally divided) sliding sash window.

At the rear (east elevation) a central ground floor door is the only feature. This is a modern flush door with a glazed panel. At first floor left are two heavy cast iron brackets which formerly formed a platform to a doorway, only the cill of which is now in evidence, the opening having been infilled.

On the south face (to main road), at ground floor left is a 3/3 window with no cill (once a door, of which the granite cill remains). Off-centre at first floor is a 2/2 window with horizontal glazing divisions and a moulded concrete cill. To right, in the advanced gable of the right top part of the T, is a 3/3 sash window at ground floor, and a 2/2 horizontally divided sliding sash (with moulded concrete cill) to first floor.

Historical information

Although a building is shown hereabouts on the 1834 OS 6” map, the present building is first shown, along with the gate screen, on the 1859 edition map. This indicates a mid 19th century construction date.

Sources:
1. PRONI OS 6/3/55/1 (1834 map) (Down sheet 55).
2. OS 6/3/55/2 (1959 map) (Down sheet 55).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Plain lodge with unusual plan form, closely associated with the finely detailed gates and an element of the demesne. There have been alterations to the plan form and the interior and exterior detailing.