Forkhill House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A 18thC Gothic-style three-storey/ two-bay house aligned NW-SE with farmyard to N, set in maturely planted grounds and accessed by a long sweeping driveway with gatescreen (HB16/15/031C) and lodge (HB16/15/031D). The existing house was once the older part of a larger building, burnt down and subsequently demolished c1920s.

Pitched natural slate roof with machined brick chimney to each gable. Overhanging eaves with exposed rafter tails. No rainwater goods. Walls are lime-rendered brick and rubble (the latter to the gable).

Principal elevation faces SW and is three windows wide; two to the left bay and one to the right. Those to ground floor were formerly the central entrance door and flanking niches – from left they are a 2/2 fixed-pane window, a wider 2/2 sliding sash and a 4/4 sliding sash (both with horns). Aligned above to first and second floor are pairs of 2x4 side-hung Gothic casements with tracery heads. All windows have granite cills.

Left gable has a t+g timber-sheeted door to extreme left-end (with two-pane transom over). To its right is a 2/2 sliding sash window with horns. Aligned above the door both first and second floor have modern 3x4 top-hung casements (mimicking sashes).

Rear elevation is abutted to left-end by a two-and-a-half storey return with natural slate catslide roof. Its face has two modern casements to ground floor and two Gothic-headed windows to first floor- that to left has a pair of 2x5 windows and traceried transom and that to right is smaller and modified. Left cheek is blank. Small window to its right cheek at first floor level and at top.

The exposed right-end of main block is blank and abutted to ground floor by a single-storey shed with monopitched natural slate roof and lime rendered walls. The latter has two fixed-windows to its front face and one to its gable.

Right gable has been truncated due to the demolition of the later house. It is abutted to centre by a later one-storey lime-rendered brick entrance porch creating an entrance to the house. On the exposed wall to its left is a 6/6 sliding sash window (without horns). Each upper floor has a central 2x4 side-hung casement. Porch has a flat roof; its SW face contains a modern timber entrance door with sidelights to its left. The SE face has a 6/6 sliding sash window (without horns) and the NE cheek has an infilled door opening to its extreme right end.

Setting:

The house is situated in an extensive demesne at the foot of Tievecrom Mountain. To N of the main house is an attractive farmyard (HB16/15/031B) accessed at SW by a four-centred shallow brick arch with granite keyblock. Above is an infilled segmental-headed opening. Another arch to SE of house has been infilled and seems to have lost its relationship with the original house; it may have at one time provided access into the farmyard.

Historical information

Erected for Richard Jackson (who endowed many schools in the area) around 1780, along with the farmyard. Described in the 1836 Valuation book as being occupied by John Foxhall; the house’s dimensions are 52ft x 42ft 6in x 29ft, with an 8ft 6in high cellar under.

George Bassett, writing in 1888, noted that Capt Granville Alexander, "an extensive property owner here, has lately spent from £6000 to £7000 improving his fine residence, Forkhill House. The demesne is open to the public, and is much frequented by excursion and picnic parties. A trout lake, containing between eight and ten acres, romantically situated, affords good sport for angler." The investment is probably in a hip-roof annex built on to the left front of the original house; it
is shown in a photograph in Brett’s book. It was this section which was burned during the troubles in the 1920s, and subsequently demolished.

Primary sources:
1. Post Chase Companion (1786).
2. First Valuation book, 1836 (PRONI VAL 1B/247, p.108).

Secondary sources:
1. G.H. Bassett, 'County Armagh one hundred years ago: a guide and directory', p.221 (1888; reprinted by Friar's Bush Press, Belfast, 1989).
2. C.E.B. Brett, ‘Buildings of Co Armagh’, p.164-165 (Belfast 1999).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A late 18thC three-storey/ two-bay house with distinctive Gothic glazing to upper floors, set in mature grounds at the foot of Tievecrom Mountain within in the Ring of Gullion AONB. It was once the older part of a larger house, since demolished. Along with its farmyard, gate lodge and screen (HB16/15/031B, C & D) it forms an important group of buildings.