Fintimara

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Prominent mid-late 19th C suburban house in a large mature sea facing
setting on N side of Rostrevor Road.

It is roughly square in plan, its principal elevation facing S and front entrance on W elevation.

Hipped natural slate roof, U planned with central valley draining to N. Tall decorative rendered and painted chimneys. First is divided into four stacks, and situated on the ridge between central and left bays on the W elevation, a similar one between the left and central bays on the E elevation. A three-stack chimney rises from the ridge between the bays on the S elevation and a slender chimney rises from the wall-head to left side of the rear (N) pitch of roof.

Rendered and painted walls have a chamfered basecourse. Ground floor is band-rusticated (with lined quoins over openings); there is a moulded cill course at ground floor, a frieze course and cornice between ground and first floors (the cornice being the first floor cill course). Eaves have moulded stucco cornice incorporating the ogee rainwater goods. All first floor windows have run-moulded stucco architraves with eared bases.

The front door is on the E elevation, which is three bays wide, the central one being narrower than the others. The left bay and ground floor of the central bay advance forward slightly with a concealed flat roof over the central part, which is the entrance porch. Three stone steps with chamfered flanking dwarf wall rise to a semicircular-headed opening with pole moulded reveal. Porch has a colourful encaustic tiled floor and painted plastered walls. Front door is four panelled with etched glazing and matching sidelights. Sidelights are flanked by slender timber colonettes with Corinthian capitals and over is a semicircular headed etched glass fanlight.

The left bays of this elevation each have two 2/2 (horizontally divided) sash windows. The right bays each have two 1/1 sash windows. There is a single sash window over the porch at first floor.

The S elevation is two bays wide. Left bay is narrower and has a canted bay window with half-hipped natural slate roof tied into the main roof and sharing its eaves. The bay window has three 1/1 sashes to each floor. The right bay has two windows to each floor.

The E elevation is three bays wide. The left and right bays each have two windows, the left ones are 1/1 sashes and the right ones are 2/2 sashes. The central bay has a canted bay window, which is detailed as that to S elevation.

The N (rear) elevation is rendered and painted. It is abutted to ground floor left by a single storey return. The remainder of ground floor was not inspected. At first floor to left of centre is a large semicircular-headed landing window. At first floor it has three windows, a central one flanked by narrow 1/1 sashes. Its head has two paned margins (rising from above the 1/1 sashes). To its left and right are single 2/2 (horizontally) divided sashes. There is a similar very narrow window to extreme left side and extreme right side is blank.

Return has a concealed roof (behind a stucco parapet). It has a tall rendered and coped chimney. Its E facing wall is rendered and painted and inline with the E elevation of main block. This elevation has a four-panelled door at left side. Door has two round headed and glazed top panels and decorative chamfered bottom panels. Semicircular headed fanlight. To right there is a bay window. It has a pair of 1/1 fixed window to centre and a 1/1 window to each cheek.

Setting

The front garden is enclosed to S by a coursed granite rubble wall. Flanking walls to entrance at east end are in dressed granite with octagonal dressed granite gate piers with metal finial. These carry a pair of decorative early 20thC wrought iron gates. Gravel driveway is serpentine and runs to the W side of the house where there is a modern garage block to immediate NW of house.

The front garden is lawned and terraced with mature trees and hedges. To NE of the house is a terrace with modern glass houses abutting yellow brick wall (serving a walled garden (not inspected)).

Historical information

Not cited in the 1859 OS 6” map or in the 1861 Second valuation. Mentioned in the Valuation revision books from 1864 onwards, indicating an early 1860s erection date. First occupied by Richard George Guy and valued at £110. Captioned as ‘Fintimara’ on the 1901-02 OS map.

Primary sources
1. Valuation revision books (PRONI: VAL 12B/22/23A, p.90).
2. OS 6” maps, Co Down sheet 54 (PRONI: OS 6/3/54/3).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

This large attractive stucco house is little altered and of high quality. It is set in mature grounds and house is located on elevated site.