Hawthorn Hill

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-storey (+ semi basement)/ two bay house aligned N-S on an elevated site at the foot of Slieve Gullion Forest Park. It has a single-storey extension to N and exposed basement to E.

Hipped natural slate roof with a tall central cement-rendered chimney set perpendicular to ridge and containing seven chimney pots. Overhanging eaves with timber soffits are supported on paired timber brackets. Half-round metal rainwater goods. Walls are cement-dashed and an advanced chamfered granite platband runs above basement level, where exposed. All window openings have painted granite cills; those to ground floor are set within recessed semi-elliptical arched niches.

Principal elevation faces W. Right bay is slightly advanced and contains the entrance. All window openings on this elevation have been infilled and wet-dashed. A finely dressed granite doorcase is set within a semicircular pole-moulded opening and contains a pair of Tuscan columns on low plinth blocks supporting a plain granite entablature with moulded cornice. Bootscraper at left. The section above door (former fanlight) is wet-dashed as walls. Door is timber with two elongated panels with beaded muntin and is accessed by a wide granite step. Above entrance is a landscape window opening. Left bay has a window opening to each floor; that to first floor is diminished in height.

N elevation is abutted by a single-storey (+ basement) addition (see later). The exposed section has a window opening to first floor left.

E elevation is partially obscured by ivy; only the left bay is visible. It has a large landscape window opening to exposed basement level (infilled with concrete blocks). Ground floor has a 6/6 sliding sash window with metal security grille over. Above is an infilled window opening.

S elevation has a similarly detailed ground floor window to either end (security grilles over). Above, to first floor are three equally spaced (infilled) window openings. Basement level is partially exposed due to the sloping topography, and is blank.

Addition is detailed as house with a pitched natural slate roof with chimney to exposed gable. W elevation has a four-panelled timber door to centre; to either side is an infilled window opening. Left gable has a t+g sheeted door to basement level; to its left is a small cast-iron ventilation opening, to its right is an infilled window with cast-iron railings over. Abutting at extreme right-end is a row of three ruinous rubble stone outbuildings (of no interest). To ground floor centre is a narrow infilled window opening with a wide cill. E elevation has a window to centre of basement level and at left; also one at left to first floor. The remainder of this wall is obscured by ivy.

Setting:

The house occupies a maturely planted and elevated site at the foot of Slieve Gullion Forest Park. Lawned terrace to rear and south.

Historical information

Hawthorn Hill was built c1815, by Hunt Walsh Chambre (the family is buried in Killevy churchyard, HB16/14/042). During civil unrest in the 1920s the house was burnt down – its rateable valuation decreases from £52 to £12 in the 1923 Valuation entry and the house is downgraded to an office. It was subsequently reconstructed in its present form.

In 1968 the Chambre family sold the estate to the Forestry Commission and the house was used until recently as its headquarters.

The first survey slide shows the windows to ground floor to have been 6/6 sliding sashes; those to first floor were 3/6 sashes, all with horns. That over the entrance door is a pair of 2/4 sashes.

Primary sources:
1. Valuation revision book (PRONI VAL12B/15/15D, p.27).
2. 1st Survey card, dated October 1972.

Secondary sources:
1. J A K Dean, ‘The Gate Lodges of Ulster’, p.38 (Belfast, 1994).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A two-storey (+ semi basement)/ two bay house. A reconstructed early 19thC house set within mature landscaped grounds in the Slieve Gullion Forest Park (DOE: EHS Parks and Gardens Inventory, site no. A/020). The reconstruction is of a relatively late date and is not a true reflection of the original building. This, together with loss of historic fabric means it is no longer of special architectural or historic interest.