The Grange

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

An extensive range of buildings set around two yards and built of granite with machined-brick dressings. Nearly all are derelict, the only intact buildings being the two houses at the southern end of the range.

South eastern house

This building is the mirror image of the south-western house with the exception of the following details: front elevation has four windows to each floor (but two bays wide), and the rear return is shorter and tied into the stable block (HB16/05/058 C Building 1). Again, machined brick is used in the dressings.

Left elevation is blank and has been abutted by a derelict single storey link block connecting it to the south western house. A tall red brick chimney rises from the eaves.

Rear elevation is abutted to left by a ruinous two storey stable block which once shared its roof. To ground floor right there are two 6/6 sliding sash windows, one on either side of central door (seemingly the only entrance) To right of these is a smaller 1/1 sliding sash. At first floor is a an identical 1/1 sliding sash and also a larger 6/6 sliding sash directly above the door.

The link block is four openings wide. It has a monopitched corrugated asbestos roof. There is a door in the third opening from left; the remaining openings are tall brick casements.

Right hand elevation has been rendered and is blank except for a small modern casement window at first floor right.

Historical information

1834 OS map shows buildings around the all four sides of yard 1 only. The existing stable block (HB16/05/058C Building 1) and calf houses (HB16/05/058C Building 3) may be amongst these buildings. The 1858 map depiction is similar, but the south-west corner of the yard is now infilled. The 1901 map shows the yard 1 in its present form (including tack room, HB16/05/058C Building 5), and also yard 2. Judging by the use of machined brick in the two houses along the south of yard 1, there was a major rebuilding phase during the second half of the 19th century. The two houses (HB16/05/058A and 058B) appear to have been erected at this time, the carriage house (HB16/05/058C Building 2) added to the east side of the stable block and the tack room (HB16/05/058C Building 5) to its top left side. All the yard 2 buildings are of later 19th century date. All the roof slates were stripped from the outbuildings a few years ago.

Primary sources:
1. PRONI - OS 6/3/55/1 (1834 OS map) (Down sheet 55).
2. PRONI - OS 6/3/55/2 (1858 OS map) (Down sheet 55).
3. PRONI - OS 6/3/55/3 (1901 OS map) (Down sheet 55).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
Z. Rarity

Evaluation

This ‘model farm’ is of special interest in terms of its association with Mourne Park demesne, in which it played a key economic role.