ROSTREVOR HOUSE

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

According to the ‘Newry Magazine’ of 1815 and the OS Memoirs of 1836, the original house on this site was built by William Maguire Esq. and was of singular appearance. The former describes it as ‘having no uniformity…and the kitchen situated in the upper storey’, whilst the latter states that because of ‘the unusual manner in which it was built and fitted up, received the name “topsy-turvy” from the inhabitants.’ This property - which by at least the early 1830s was known as ‘Carrickbawn’ - was acquired at some point in the late 18th century by David Ross (1729-1809), the father of the celebrated Major General Robert Ross-of-Bladensburg (1766-1814). After the latter’s death it passed to his widow, Elizabeth Catherine (d.1845), who is said to have enhanced the grounds with new planting c.1820.

The date of the earlier house is not certain. It is not referred to on Taylors and Skinner’s map of 1777, and although a building is shown in the general area on Williamson’s Co. Down map of 1810, it is unnamed, suggesting it may have started out as a relatively modest structure. The OS map of 1834, however, shows a relatively large footprint of roughly rectangular plan, but with a shallow projection to the front (east) side, a recess in the corresponding position to the west, and two returns to the north. The valuation book of October 1835 confirms that the house as it stood at this point was a fairly substantial, but relatively low two-storey building, the main section measuring 99ft x 52 x 17½ with returns of 14 x 21 x 18 and 25 x 16 x 13½ and a basement ‘as servants’ rooms’ of 65 x 22 x 9. To the north were some scattered freestanding outbuildings of 30 x 17 x 10 and 56 x 17½ x 13 (as well as a large boomerang-shaped productive garden), and at the entrance far to the south, a single-storey gate lodge of irregular plan compromised of two off-set portions of 13 x 10 x 6 and 22 x 12½ x 6. The valuers conclude by stating that the ‘concern had been neglected’ and that ‘two-thirds of the house [is] intended to be rebuilt.’

Specifications for the new residence were compiled by architect William Deane Butler of Dublin for contractor Thomas Emerson in March 1836. In October of that year the OS Memoirs reported that the old house was ‘now pulling down…and rebuilding in the old English style…; the dressings and mouldings are of granite (from Mullaglass and Killeavy quarries, County Armagh), and when finished will be a handsome residence.’

The present house is shown in its original form on the 1860s OS map. In the near contemporary second valuation book it is recorded as ‘A very handsome Elizabethan villa, stone finished, but rather neglected’, with the grounds in a similar uncared for state. Its various components are noted as amounting to- 15yds 1ft x 6 x 2[storeys]’ 10 x 5½ x 2, 3½ x 2½ x 2, 20 x 10 x 2, 3½ x 3 x 1 (‘porch'), 6yds 1ft x 2 x 2 (‘projection’), 9 x 7 x 2 (‘projection’), 3 x 3 x 3 (‘tower’), 7 x 9yds 2ft x 2, 9yds 2ft x 10 x 2, 6yds 2ft x 11½ x 2 [these three portions appear to have possessed a basement], 4 x 6 x 1, outbuildings of 5 x 10 x 1 (‘coach house’) and 16 x 9 x 2, with the gate lodge 3 x 4 x 1 and 4 x 4 x 1. Also within the grounds, probably to the north of the site of the main residence, was a ‘very badly dilapidated…woodman’s house’ of 16 x 6yds 2ft x 1 with ‘good strong offices’ of 13yds 1ft x 6yds 2ft x 2 and 15 x 6 x 1.

The rebuilt Carrickbawn passed from Mrs. Ross to her son, David Ross-of-Bladensburg (1804-66), who does not appear to have lived there on a permanent basis, thus explaining the comments of the valuers quoted above. His son, Rev. Robert Skeffington Ross-of-Bladensburg (1847-92), became a Jesuit priest and bequeathed it to his younger brother, Sir John Foster George Ross-of-Bladensburg (1848-1925), who created a noted garden here. At some point before 1901, the name of the building was changed to ‘Rostrevor House’.

Sir John had no male heirs and the entire Ross estate was left to his niece, Mary Frances Harriett Angela Ross-of-Bladensburg, however, she does not appear to lived there (she resided at Fairy Hill) and consequently the house is believed to have lain vacant up until her death in 1946.

In early 1950 Rostrevor House bought by the Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles, who used it as a non-denominational retreat, adding the large Modernist extension to the north side in c.1965. An extant drawing shows that this was originally intended to be much larger, extending further north-eastwards. The retreat centre was scaled back in 1998, but the Order remained there until c.2003. It was subsequently acquired by the late Lord Ballyedmond, whose family held it until c.2017, although it does not appear to have been occupied during this time. It was sold again c.2018.

References - primary sources
1 ‘Taylors and Skinner’s maps of the roads of Ireland’, (Dublin, 1777-78), maps 11, 285
2 ‘A Map of the County of Down…by James Williamson, (1810)
3 ‘The Newry Magazine or literary & political register for 1815’, (Newry, 1815)
4 OS map, Co Down sheet 54 (1834)
5 PRONI VAL/1/B/361 (1835-36)
6 Day, Angelique and McWilliams, Patrick ed., ‘Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland…vol.3’ (QUB, 1990), (1835-36)
7 PRONI D2004/6/12 Specification of work to be done in alterations and additions to Carrickbawn … by William Deane Butler, architect; assigned as a contract by Thos. Emerson (14 March 1836)
8 ‘Picturesque handbook to Carlingford Bay, (Dublin, 1846), p.50 [There is an illustration of Carrickbawn / Rostrevor House on page 50 this book; however, the house is wrongly labelled ‘Arno’s Vale’.]
9 OS map, Co Down sheet 54 (1860)
10 PRONI VAL2B/3/61B (1861)
11 PRONI VAL12B/19/21A-F (1865-1929)
12 OS map, Co Down sheet 54 (1901-02)
13 OS map, Co Down sheet 54 (1919)
14 ‘Belfast Telegraph’, 3 July 1934, p.4
15 ‘Belfast News-Letter’, 3 October 1946, p.4
16 OS map, Co Down sheet 54 (1950)
17 ‘Belfast News-Letter’, 19 January 1950, p.5
18 Drawing of extension c.1966 [Was in possession of house owner in March 2017.]
19 ‘Belfast Telegraph’, 28 December 1972, p.4

Secondary sources
20 Crowe, W.H., ‘Village in seven hills’, (Dundalgan Press, 1972), pp.32-33
21 HERoNI D-052 Registered Garden file (c.1992- )
22 Smith, Philip, ‘The Buildings of South County Down’, (Belfast, UAHS, 2019)

Historical information

According to the ‘Newry Magazine’ of 1815 and the OS Memoirs of 1836, the original house on this site was built by William Maguire Esq. and was of singular appearance. The former describes it as ‘having no uniformity…and the kitchen situated in the upper storey’, whilst the latter states that because of ‘the unusual manner in which it was built and fitted up, received the name “topsy-turvy” from the inhabitants.’ This property - which by at least the early 1830s was known as ‘Carrickbawn’ - was acquired at some point in the late 18th century by David Ross (1729-1809), the father of the celebrated Major General Robert Ross-of-Bladensburg (1766-1814). After the latter’s death it passed to his widow, Elizabeth Catherine (d.1845), who is said to have enhanced the grounds with new planting c.1820.

The date of the earlier house is not certain. It is not referred to on Taylors and Skinner’s map of 1777, and although a building is shown in the general area on Williamson’s Co. Down map of 1810, it is unnamed, suggesting it may have started out as a relatively modest structure. The OS map of 1834, however, shows a relatively large footprint of roughly rectangular plan, but with a shallow projection to the front (east) side, a recess in the corresponding position to the west, and two returns to the north. The valuation book of October 1835 confirms that the house as it stood at this point was a fairly substantial, but relatively low two-storey building, the main section measuring 99ft x 52 x 17½ with returns of 14 x 21 x 18 and 25 x 16 x 13½ and a basement ‘as servants’ rooms’ of 65 x 22 x 9. To the north were some scattered freestanding outbuildings of 30 x 17 x 10 and 56 x 17½ x 13 (as well as a large boomerang-shaped productive garden), and at the entrance far to the south, a single-storey gate lodge of irregular plan compromised of two off-set portions of 13 x 10 x 6 and 22 x 12½ x 6. The valuers conclude by stating that the ‘concern had been neglected’ and that ‘two-thirds of the house [is] intended to be rebuilt.’

Specifications for the new residence were compiled by architect William Deane Butler of Dublin for contractor Thomas Emerson in March 1836. In October of that year the OS Memoirs reported that the old house was ‘now pulling down…and rebuilding in the old English style…; the dressings and mouldings are of granite (from Mullaglass and Killeavy quarries, County Armagh), and when finished will be a handsome residence.’

The present house is shown in its original form on the 1860s OS map. In the near contemporary second valuation book it is recorded as ‘A very handsome Elizabethan villa, stone finished, but rather neglected’, with the grounds in a similar uncared for state. Its various components are noted as amounting to- 15yds 1ft x 6 x 2[storeys]’ 10 x 5½ x 2, 3½ x 2½ x 2, 20 x 10 x 2, 3½ x 3 x 1 (‘porch'), 6yds 1ft x 2 x 2 (‘projection’), 9 x 7 x 2 (‘projection’), 3 x 3 x 3 (‘tower’), 7 x 9yds 2ft x 2, 9yds 2ft x 10 x 2, 6yds 2ft x 11½ x 2 [these three portions appear to have possessed a basement], 4 x 6 x 1, outbuildings of 5 x 10 x 1 (‘coach house’) and 16 x 9 x 2, with the gate lodge 3 x 4 x 1 and 4 x 4 x 1. Also within the grounds, probably to the north of the site of the main residence, was a ‘very badly dilapidated…woodman’s house’ of 16 x 6yds 2ft x 1 with ‘good strong offices’ of 13yds 1ft x 6yds 2ft x 2 and 15 x 6 x 1.

The rebuilt Carrickbawn passed from Mrs. Ross to her son, David Ross-of-Bladensburg (1804-66), who does not appear to have lived there on a permanent basis, thus explaining the comments of the valuers quoted above. His son, Rev. Robert Skeffington Ross-of-Bladensburg (1847-92), became a Jesuit priest and bequeathed it to his younger brother, Sir John Foster George Ross-of-Bladensburg (1848-1925), who created a noted garden here. At some point before 1901, the name of the building was changed to ‘Rostrevor House’.

Sir John had no male heirs and the entire Ross estate was left to his niece, Mary Frances Harriett Angela Ross-of-Bladensburg, however, she does not appear to lived there (she resided at Fairy Hill) and consequently the house is believed to have lain vacant up until her death in 1946.

In early 1950 Rostrevor House bought by the Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles, who used it as a non-denominational retreat, adding the large Modernist extension to the north side in c.1965. An extant drawing shows that this was originally intended to be much larger, extending further north-eastwards. The retreat centre was scaled back in 1998, but the Order remained there until c.2003. It was subsequently acquired by the late Lord Ballyedmond, whose family held it until c.2017, although it does not appear to have been occupied during this time. It was sold again c.2018.

References - primary sources
1 ‘Taylors and Skinner’s maps of the roads of Ireland’, (Dublin, 1777-78), maps 11, 285
2 ‘A Map of the County of Down…by James Williamson, (1810)
3 ‘The Newry Magazine or literary & political register for 1815’, (Newry, 1815)
4 OS map, Co Down sheet 54 (1834)
5 PRONI VAL/1/B/361 (1835-36)
6 Day, Angelique and McWilliams, Patrick ed., ‘Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland…vol.3’ (QUB, 1990), (1835-36)
7 PRONI D2004/6/12 Specification of work to be done in alterations and additions to Carrickbawn … by William Deane Butler, architect; assigned as a contract by Thos. Emerson (14 March 1836)
8 ‘Picturesque handbook to Carlingford Bay, (Dublin, 1846), p.50 [There is an illustration of Carrickbawn / Rostrevor House on page 50 this book; however, the house is wrongly labelled ‘Arno’s Vale’.]
9 OS map, Co Down sheet 54 (1860)
10 PRONI VAL2B/3/61B (1861)
11 PRONI VAL12B/19/21A-F (1865-1929)
12 OS map, Co Down sheet 54 (1901-02)
13 OS map, Co Down sheet 54 (1919)
14 ‘Belfast Telegraph’, 3 July 1934, p.4
15 ‘Belfast News-Letter’, 3 October 1946, p.4
16 OS map, Co Down sheet 54 (1950)
17 ‘Belfast News-Letter’, 19 January 1950, p.5
18 Drawing of extension c.1966 [Was in possession of house owner in March 2017.]
19 ‘Belfast Telegraph’, 28 December 1972, p.4

Secondary sources
20 Crowe, W.H., ‘Village in seven hills’, (Dundalgan Press, 1972), pp.32-33
21 HERoNI D-052 Registered Garden file (c.1992- )
22 Smith, Philip, ‘The Buildings of South County Down’, (Belfast, UAHS, 2019)