FORESTBROOK

The Department's description

Historical information

Forestbrook House was for many years associated with a small industrial complex that stood a stood a short distance to the north, on the site of the later mill / factory buildings at what is now Shanwillian, off Forestbrook Road. The earliest development here was a bleach mill established by John Darley, who according to Bradshaw’s ‘General Directory’ of 1819 also built the house. John Darley is probably the man of the same name who served as the Collector of Customs at Newry from 1762 to 1771 and who is recorded as living at Arno’s Vale to the west of Rostrevor from at least 1777 until c.1787 [see HB16/06/058]. However, he is also mentioned in connection with a ‘water mill’ and ‘dwelling house’ in this townland (Newtown) in March 1781. The current house has the appearance of a 1760s-70s (or perhaps even slightly earlier) structure, so it is reasonable to suggest that it is the same building referred to at this point.

Sometime around 1800 the whole concern was sold to Dr. Thomas Black who converted the bleach yard to paper manufacturing. Dr. Black died in or shortly before 1829 and ‘Forestbrook paper mills’ along with the ‘large, excellent and substantial dwelling house, with coach house and other suitable offices and walled-in gardens’, was put up for sale. There appears to have been some legal dispute over of the property, however, for it does appear to have been sold, and by 1835 was ‘in Chancery’ the mill having been ‘out of use for 6years’ and the house occupied by a ‘caretaker’. The valuation of October of that year gives the dimensions of the residence as 44ft x 22 x 24, with a return (probably the curved bay to the rear) measuring 11 x 8 x 24, and the outbuildings – which stood immediately north - amounting to 32 x 15 x 12, 32 x 11 x 8, 70 x 17 x 13.

The sequence of ownership / occupation over the next decade is difficult to trace. By 1846 it was in the hands of William Bell who advertised the ‘mills, stores, workmen’s houses, mansion house and about 34 statute acres of good land’ for lease in November of that year. In the advert the house is described as ‘3 stories high, beautifully situated, and contains dining and drawing rooms, breakfast parlour, 4 bedrooms, attic storey, kitchen, pantry, and servants’ apartments, well-enclosed yard, extensive and convenient office-houses and stores, and a well-enclosed garden.’ Also included was ‘another house…which, with a little outlay, would make a commodious and capital mansion.’

The ‘large dwelling house…large cottage…stores, workmen’s houses, mills [with] reservoirs and valuable water-powers thereon’ were put up for sale in 1849. They were acquired by iron founders Francis Carvill & Son of Newry, who converted the mill to a foundry for the manufacture of spades, also operating an ‘alabaster’ (or lime) works on the site. From at least 1854 the firm rented out the house, however.

The Carvills continued to operate the foundry and works until c.1865 when it was converted to a factory for the dyeing and finishing of linens (‘Forestbrook Linen Manufacturing Co. Ltd.’), which was managed by Joseph Crawley. Mr. Crawley bought the freehold of the entire concern, including the house, in c.1884 and he is named in the valuations as the occupant of the latter up until his death in October 1913. Mr Crawley may have added the return, which appears for the first time on the 1902 OS map, although there is no mention of it being built within the valuation books.

Post-1913 the house appears to have been occupied by a ‘Miss Crawley’ – presumably the late Joseph Crawley’s daughter – who was still living there up until at least 1945. By this time there appears to longer have been a connection between the house and the works, the latter now serving as a private residence.

A Mr.[?] McVittie was living in the house in 1968 and a Mr and Mrs Henshaw in 1981. The property has changed ownership on at least one occasion since the last date.

References – primary sources
1 ‘Belfast News-Letter’ – 13-16 March 1781, p.3
2 ‘The Newry Magazine or literary & political register for 1815’, (Newry, 1815)
3 ‘The general directory of Newry….by Thomas Bradshaw’, (Newry ,1819), p.32
4 ‘Belfast News-Letter’ – 7 July 1829, p.3; 18 November 1916, p.10
6 ‘Newry Telegraph’ – 8 September 1829, p.3; 17 July 1849, p.2; 16 March 1850, p.3; 1 April 1854, p.2; 6 September 1866, p.2; 3 November 1866, p.2;
7 OS map 6-inch county series, Co Down sheet 54 – 1834, 1859, 1901-02, 1919, 1950
8 PRONI VAL1B/361 First valuation, Kilbroney parish - 1835-36
9 ‘Newry Examiner and Louth Advertiser’ – 25 November 1846, p.3
10 PRONI VAL2B/3/61A Second valuation, Kilbroney parish- 1861
11 PRONI VAL12B/19/21A-F Annual valuation revision books, Rostrevor ED – 1865-1929
12 ‘Newry Reporter’ – 18 October 1913, p.7
13 ‘Northern Whig’ – 25 May 1928, p.1

Secondary sources
14 Green, E.R.R., ‘The industrial archaeology of County Down’, (Belfast, HMSO, 1963), p.35