Lisnacree House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two storey, late Victorian villa on an informal plan, with stable yard and outhouses, all now ruinous. All set in small mature demesne on north side of Newry Road. House plan forms an L with west-facing base. Rear return to east end of north elevation and a quarter circular entrance porch in inner angle of L.

L-shaped main roof, nearly all gone, was hipped and natural slated with blue clay ridges. Four chimneys, all brick, rendered with plain ashlar granite copings (no pots). Semicircular metal rainwater goods (nearly all gone) resting on a projecting ashlar granite eaves course, supported on paired granite corbel brackets

Walls to main block are granite rubble with brick dressings. Openings have finely gauged brick heads and the reveals are lined in brick, all line rendered. Raised and chamfered ashlar granite basecourse, flush stepped ashlar quoins.

Main entrance porch (in inner angle of L) forms a quadrant and seems to have had a quadrant cone roof (marks in render above indicate the shape). Single moulded granite step follows curve of porch. There is a central doorway and to each side a sliding sash window. The inner walls of the porch are rendered as the main external walls. At left side of porch is the inner entrance door which consists of two leaves each three panelled, painted timber, with a fixed glazed transom light over. At right side is a semicircular-headed blind arch containing a fixed timber window with a canted cill and moulded timber architrave. This originally has been a service door (as infill below shows).

To left of porch is a blind window, with similar above and to its right (over porch) is a window opening. To right of porch is a blind window, and above, at first floor is a window opening. All external windows to façade are a similar size and remains suggest that all were 2/2 sliding sashes.

The south elevation is two bays wide, with left bay slightly advanced with two window openings to each floor. To right bay is a similar window configuration.

The western elevation of the main house has two windows to each floor.

The north elevation is three bays wide. The left bay is abutted by a two-storey return. The central bay has a t+g sheeted door with two pane overlight and a narrow 1/1 sliding sash window to its left side. To left, between ground and first floor, is a large 6/6 spoke-headed sliding sash window. Right bay has a window opening to ground floor.

The east elevation of main house has two 2/2 sliding sashes to ground floor with a single window centred above; to the right is the east wall of the rear return.

The rear return is in two stages. The stage abutting main block is two storey, the second stage is single storey. Pitched natural slate roof with single red brick chimney. Walls are as main block but minus ashlar dressings. Rear gable (north facing and single storey) fronts yard and has a t+g sheeted door with three paned mouth-organ transom over, in apex above is a timber louvred vent. Left cheek is flush with east wall of main house. It has no openings to its two-storey section and two 2/2 sliding sashes to its single storey section. Right cheek has a large tripartite window (flanked by 2/2) to ground floor of its two-storey section and three small 2/2 windows to its single storey section. The exposed gable of the two-storey section of return has a pair of 2/2 sliding sash windows.
Yard

Rear yard is enclosed to north and east by outbuildings, to west by a high wall with gates and a lane to Lisnacree Lane, and to south east is a gateway to front gardens.

Yard is paved in granite sets and walls are rubble granite with brick dressings to buildings. The northern range of buildings is five bays wide. The two left bays are single storey and share a common pitched natural slate roof, both have a large pair of t+g sheeted doors and seem to have been coach houses. The remaining northern bays are contained within a two-storey block with pitched natural slate roof. First from left has a timber sheeted door and a fixed window. The second has a central door flanked by windows. The third bay is accessed through a single door mirrored by a rear door and is abutted to right by east block. The upper floor of this block has a single windows in line with ground floor openings

The east block is single storey and four bays wide. It has a pitched natural slate roof, hipped to south end, and partially flattened to accommodate an external water tank. Walls are rubble as before. The left bay is double width of others and is accessed by two segmental headed arched doorways. Each remaining bay is narrow and accessed by single opening, that to right has a wrought iron gate fronted by a narrow raised pavement and mountings for a pump.

The west gates, now gone, were hung from a pair of rubble granite piers with pyramidal caps. The end of the access lane at Lisnacree Lane also contains a pair of ashlar piers with a large pair of wrought iron gates. The south east gate has large ashlar piers, with raised chamfered basecourse and pyramidal caps (eastern one toppled). Piers supports a pair of large t+g sheeted gates.

The informally planted front garden is wild with very overgrown shrubs and ornamental trees. To west of house are the remains of a herb garden and ruins of what appear to be a conservatory and pergola walk. Original drive entrance has been infilled by a modern granite wall and nothing remains. Part of drive remains, sweeping in an S from the main road.

Historical information

Marked on the 1834 OS 6” map as Mount Loftus and of L-plan. The 1838 Valuation notes owner as George Houston and house measurements given as 48ft x 26.5ft x 23.5ft. Present house plan shown on 1859 OS map and cited as Lisnacree House; these suggest a mid 19th century rebuild. Dimensions given in 1861 Valuation as 19ft x 43ft x two storeys for main block.

Neighbours state that the property was destroyed by fire in the early 1970s and abandoned, falling into further disrepair. It is known locally as the 'D.G. Waring house'; he was apparently a Grand Juror for Co Down who also held property at Waringstown, Co Down.

Primary sources:
1. PRONI - OS 6/3/55/1 (1834 OS map) (Down sheet 55).
2. PRONI -VAL 1B/ 390A, (1838 valuation) p.183.
3. PRONI -OS 6/3/55/2 (1859 OS map) (Down sheet 55).
4. PRONI -VAL 2B/3/81A, (1861 valuation) p.51.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Although ruinous, this building retains its interesting plan form and original outhouses. The walls appear to be sound and a surprising amount of the internal joinery remains.