Former gardener's house Tandragee Road Lissummon Co.Armagh BT35 6LW

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Single storey, three bay former gardener’s house with single storey rear return, built c1875, located on the W side of Tandragee Road 3 miles S of Poyntzpass, Co Armagh. To SE of St Mary’s Church of Ireland (HB16/21/060).

Hipped natural slate roof (replacement) with decorative fish-scale slates to front slope (NE) and side (SE). Red brick chimney to centre (now collapsed). Pitched roof to rear return. Exposed rafter ends to projecting eaves.

Front Elevation (NE)
Three bay symmetrical façade with projecting gabled porch to centre, window opening either side. 3/3 timber sliding sash windows (some glazing missing), behind corrugated iron sheeting.
Hood moulds to front window openings, brick exposed beneath painted render.
Porch is cement render, door opening to centre, no door extant. Fish scale slates to porch roof.
Tall cement-rendered plinth below cill level.

Side elevation (NW)
Single window opening to centre of front block, remnants of a timber sliding sash window extant. No hood mould. Tall cement-rendered plinth below cill level.
Façade of rear return has a single window opening with remnants of a metal framed window.

Rear elevation (SW)
Main block is abutted by single storey return to left side, door opening with timber sheeted door. Right side obscured by vegetation at time of survey.

Side elevation (SE)
Appears to be blind façade, largely obscured by vegetation at time of survey.

Setting
Located off a wide layby on main Tandragee Road, to SE of St Mary’s Church of Ireland (HB16/21/060) with field inbetween. Former vernacular dwelling and outbuildings to immediate West.

Materials:
Windows – remnants of timber sliding sash
Walls – rubblestone with painted lime render over & cement render in places
Roof – replacement natural slate
RWGs – none

Historical information

The current gardener’s house, in the style of a gate lodge, was constructed within the curtilage of St Mary’s new church c1875.

OS Memoirs state that the original church on this site was built in 1731, and it is this church which is shown, captioned, on the first edition OS map of 1835. The church was then replaced by a new building to designs by William Joseph Barre, 150 feet to the SE of the old one, and the ‘new church’ is depicted, together with a new ‘parsonage’ on the second edition of 1861. Construction on the new church began in 1858 and was completed with its consecration in 1861, the cost being met by Colonel Close of Drumbanagher House.

The current gardener’s house first enters valuation records in 1875 as the residence of John Gibson, valued at £1.15s and leased from Rev John H Townsend, the incumbent of St Mary’s. The dwelling is first shown on the third edition OS map of 1906, situated within the curtilage of the church and parsonage and alongside the main road to Newry. It is depicted on the 1906 large-scale map as rectangular on plan with a rear return and front porch, as today. The location of the dwelling and its character give it the appearance of a gate lodge, however, although there was formerly a footpath leading to the church (1906 large-scale map) at a short distance from the dwelling (c80 feet), the dwelling was never located directly beside an access route to church or parsonage.

At the time of the 1911 census, the resident of the house was William McGivern, gardener, who leased his house from the incumbent Rev Nelson. The house, which had two rooms internally, was occupied by McGivern, his wife and seven children, ranging in age from 4 months to 17 years, the eldest son working with William as a ‘gardener’s assistant’.

The First General Revaluation of the 1930s records the dwelling as comprising a kitchen, bedroom, scullery and store and notes that it was occupied ‘rent free for services’. The valuer describes it as a ‘very fair little place’ with cement floors and plaster ceilings. Dimensions are given for the house and return, consistent with those of the dwelling today. The house was occupied by a succession of tenants, at least until the 1950s and remained in the ownership of the church during this period.

References:
Primary Sources:

1. PRONI OS/6/2/22/1 First edition Six Inch OS map (1835)
2. PRONI OS/6/2/22/2 Second edition Six Inch OS map (1861)
3. Dublin Evening Packet and Correspondent, 22nd July 1861
4. PRONI VAL/12/B/15/23A-E Annual Revisions ED Drumbanagher (1864-1929)
5. PRONI OS/6/2/22/3 Third edition Six Inch OS map (1906)
6. PRONI OS/6/2/22/4 Fourth edition Six Inch OS map (1955)
7. Census of Ireland 1901 and 1911 online
8. PRONI VAL/3/C/2/13 First General Revaluation ED Drumbanagher (1936-57)
9. PRONI VAL/3/D/6/N/2 First General Revaluation, Valuer’s Binder TL Drumbanagher (1936-57)
10. Large scale OS maps 1906, 1955, 1974 (https://shop.centremapslive.co.uk/)

Secondary Sources:

11. Dictionary of Irish Architects online (www.dia.ie)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Single storey, three bay former gardener’s house, built c.1875, located on the W side of Tandragee Road 3 miles S of Poyntzpass, Co Armagh. It was built in the setting of St Mary’s Church of Ireland (HB16/21/060) which is located to the NW.
While it is a good example of a historic building of local interest, it is of insufficient special interest to meet the criteria for listing .