Ivybrook Lodge

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

This complex comprises two abutting buildings. The older property, which was the original Ivybrook Lodge, fronts the east side of Drumalane Rd. It is abutted along its rear (east-facing) wall by a larger ashlar granite extension of later date which now forms the main façade to the pair and fronts a landscaped garden.

1. Old house

This comprises a rectangular two storey (+ basement + attic)/ two-bay block with projecting gabled porch addition facing the road; there is a lower single-bay/ two-storey unit to south gable.

The roof is pitched and slated (with tiled verges). One cement-rendered chimney with projecting cap rises from its west pitch and is aligned with the ridge. Half-round metal rainwater goods. All walls are cement rendered unless otherwise stated.

The west façade (to the road) has stepped rendered quoins with a porch rising almost to first floor level on its right bay. Above this porch is a 6/3 sliding sash at half-landing between first floor and attic. The left bay has 6/6 exposed box sliding sash windows - one to ground floor and another directly above at first floor. All windows have granite cills.

The porch has a pitched natural slate roof, hipped at its interface with the main house to avoid blocking the latter’s landing window. Half-round plastic rainwater goods. Its gable has a decorated timber bargeboard with radial motif and stylised shamrocks. There is a door at bottom on its gable leading to a half-landing between basement and ground floor in main block. This door has six moulded panels with raised fields; its sidelights are now blocked. Above is a second door leading to a half-landing level between ground floor and first floor in main block. The latter is approached by external steel stairs from street level and is modern stained timber with sidelights; it is set within a segmental headed opening. There are narrow 1/1 sliding sash windows on each cheek of the porch at both levels.

The north gable of this house is two bays wide. The left verge (as viewed from the north) appears to have been raised. A downpipe at left carries water from the valley between the old and new blocks. The right bay has a window opening at basement, ground and first floors. Only the ground floor window is original – a 4/4 sliding sash; the two other windows are modern top-hung replacements. The left bay is lit by larger windows. At ground and first floor is a tripartite window – a 6/6 sliding sash with three-paned transom to centre, and a 2/2 sash with single-pane transom to each side. The basement window is also tripartite – a 6/3 sash flanked by timber louvred openings. At attic level, to right of centre, is a paired 1/1 sash.

The east wall of this block is wholly abutted by the later extension.

The south gable is abutted at left by a two-storey (+ basement) return. It is entirely slate hung (natural slates), except for the basement at right, which is rendered. There is a pair of metal-sheeted double doors to basement accessed by 10 external granite steps (with metal handrail). The gable is otherwise plain except for an exposed box 6/6 sliding sash window at attic level.

The return has a pitched natural slate roof. It walls are line rendered except for the right cheek which has exposed random rubble granite to basement and ground floor. Its gable has a 2/2 sliding sash at first floor. Its left cheek, which faces to the road and is in line with the main block, has a 6/6 sliding sash window at ground floor. On the right cheek, a passage runs along at basement level, where there is a modern t+g door. At ground floor is a 1/1 sash window.

2. Later extension

A large symmetrical two storey (+ basement + attic)/ three-bay extension abuts the rear (east-facing) wall of the earlier house. It has a hipped natural slate roof. There are two ashlar granite chimneys rising from the eaves on its west elevation (but separate from the older building).

The walls are of ashlar granite over a projecting chamfered basement course and has raised V-jointed stepped quoins. The basement walls have roughly dressed faces, and the walls above are smooth faced. Granite dentils support an ogee-moulded cornice which incorporates rainwater gutters.

The main façade, which looks east to the former garden, has a central doorway which is now the main entrance to the entire building. Four granite steps (with wheelchair ramp and railing to left) rise to main door which is of painted timber. It has four fielded panels, beaded muntin and modern letterbox. Flanked by a pair of square ashlar pilasters which support a dressed lintel which also runs across the two-paned cilled lights to either side, and above which is a margin-paned overlight. The encasement has raised ashlar jambs, at the top of which are scrolled consoles and entablature; the latter has a shallow-gabled blocking course, above which is a modern electric light. To either side of the door is a one-storey canted window bay with overhanging flat roof, moulded cill and cornice. Margin-paned windows, with transoms, to each face of bay (two sets in middle bay). At first floor are five equally spaced windows - one over central door and two above each bay. All are 6/6 sliding sashes (no horns), with single-piece granite lintels and cills.

The south elevation has two 6/6 sliding sash windows to ground floor, each with a projecting cut stone drip mould. Identical windows to first floor, but diminished in height and without drip moulds. There is an external passage along the basement, which is lit by two 8/4 sash windows, each with a metal security grille over.

The west elevation of the extension is partly abutted by the earlier building. There is a length of wall exposed at the south end of this wall. This contains a spoked 6/6 sash window in a semicircular-headed opening at first floor. In the basement, there is a t+g door at right, to the left of which are two windows. One is a modern top-hung casement, the other a 6/3 sash; both have security grilles over. The door and one of the windows has a three-piece keystoned granite lintel. The exposed section of wall at north is blank.

The north elevation is similar to that at west, and also has a basement passage. There is a down pipe from a hopper between ground and first floor at right. The first floor left window (as viewed from north) has been replaced with a modern timber fire escape door and sidelight, with modern electric light above. From this door an external flight of metal stairs descends from left to right. The drip mould over the ground floor window at right has been removed to accommodate the stairs. The two basement windows are modern timber casements. All windows on this elevation have granite cills and security grills over.

Immediately south of the original house is a two-storey range of cement-rendered outbuildings, now of little architectural merit.

Historical information

MacCabe’s 1830 Newry Directory lists the Rev John Mitchel as the occupant of Ivy Brook, Dromolane (sic). He was appointed Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland in 1822, and had been transferred to Newry in 1823. His son, also John (1815-75) became a nationally prominent Irish republican (q.v. commemorative statue, HB16/30/006). Whether the house was built for Mitchel, or already existed, must await further research. The Rev Mitchel is recorded as the occupier in the 1836 First Valuation book. The building is described by the valuers as measuring 30’6” x 30’ x 22’, and with a 6’ high cellar. These dimensions relate to the ‘old house’ described above. The gable return was originally linked to the outbuildings, but was subsequently detached.

The 1863 Valuation gives the owner as Hill Irvine. He was also responsible for the nearby Drumalane Spinning Mill which opened in 1867 (HB16/29/010). According to the Belfast and Provincial directories, Hill had occupied the house since 1852 at least (no earlier directories were available in PRONI). Two houses are now noted by the valuers within this complex - one measures 60’ x 27’ x 2 storeys + basement, and other 30’ x 24’ x 2.5 storeys. The latter would appear to be the house cited in the 1839 Valuation, whilst the former is the ‘later extension’ noted above. The 1861 OS map shows this extension and also names the property as Drumalane House. It would appear, therefore, that the house was enlarged sometime between 1836 and 1861. This probably took place when Hill acquired the property, and he probably renamed it at the same time.

The 1861 map also shows the single-bay building on the right gable of the two-bay original house to have been connected with the range of outbuildings to the south. It is possible, therefore, that this unit was originally an outbuilding which was subsequently incorporated into the dwelling, and the physical link to the remaining outbuildings removed.

The Drumalane Spinning Company acquired both the house and mill in 1876. The house appears to have been let to various individuals before reverting to the Blackstaff Spinning & Weaving Co in 1919 when they acquired the mill. It is now used as an administrative base for the Newry & Mourne Health Trust, who have reverted to the building’s original name (although, strictly, this should only be applied to the original house).

Sources:

1. MacCabe’s 1830 Directory of Newry, Warrenpoint and Rostrevor, p.68.
2. Belfast & Provincial directories.
3. PRONI – OS8/20/1/24 (1:500 map of 1861).
4. T. Canavan (1989), Frontier Town: an illustrated history of Newry, p.136 (Belfast: Blackstaff Press).
5. PRONI - VAL 1A/2/26; VAL 1B/ 246A, p.89; VAL 2B/2/39A; VAL 12B/15/1D, p.79, VAL 12B/15/1F, p.75; VAL 12B/22/18C, p.294.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
V. Authorship

Evaluation

The original house comprises a rectangular two storey (+ basement + attic)/ two-bay block. The large symmetrical two storey (+ basement + attic)/ three-bay extension abuts the rear (east-facing) wall of the earlier house and comprises the principal rooms and main façade, reversing the orientation of the building .

This building embraces both informal and formal architecture, which makes an interesting combination.The original plan forms survive, with minor modern alterations, along with many associated features. The building has historical links with John Mitchel and William Hill Irvine, and therefore is of interest in both a national and local context.

General comments

This building was formerly known as Dromalane House.