Well Attendant's House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A one and a half storey/ two bay waterpipe attendant's dwelling on north side of Brae Rd. Of rectangular plan and orientated north-south, with gable to the road. Pitched natural slate roof with plain painted wooden bargeboards, moulded concrete kneeler stones, and ogee cast-iron gutters. Distinctive and attractive red brick chimney in centre of ridge, with cream brick stepped quoins and cap. Walls of squared random rubble Silurian masonry over projecting base course. Cream brick used in projecting eaves, quoins (stepped) and along top of base course. Painted timber sash windows to principal block and timber door also trimmed with cream brick heads and jambs (stepped); the latter also have stop-end chamfers. All the window openings have shallow segmental heads and chamfered painted cills (probably of concrete).
Main facade faces east. At left is, one-storey porch with pitched natural slate roof, raised cream brick verges and concrete kneelers. Four granite steps lead up to modern door (with two glazed panels) in left cheek. Window opening in east-facing gable wall of porch. Right cheek blank. To right of porch, on wall of main block, is a set of French windows in enlarged former window opening. Wall continues east to enclose yard. This face contains three modern casement walls and is abutted to outside by greenhouse.
South gable has two window openings to ground floor, and two to attic floor (in line with those below). The west wall is blank save for a single window opening to back room at ground floor left.
North gable abutted at left by single-storey return along inside of yard's east wall. Above is a window opening to half landing. Above right of this is a similar window to back bedroom.
Yard projects north and west of the dwelling, with the entrance on south wall. Wall similar to dwelling in construction and cream-brick trim; coped with rock-faced blocks. Original wide entrance now sheeted over and modern glazed window and door inserted (leads to roofed over yard). Square gate pillar to each side of the original opening, each with cream brick quoins and projecting flat concrete cap. A lean-to timber-sheeted garage (with tiled roof) abuts the yard wall at west.

Historical information

Erected as part of the Mourne Scheme, by which the Belfast City & District Water Commissioners brought water to Belfast from the Annalong and Kilkeel rivers. This was one of six identical lodges along the conduit; the others are at Tullybranigan (HB 18/13/70) , Ballybannon (HB 18/11/41) , Drumanaquoile (HB 18/16/7), Dunmore (HB 18/16/22), and Ballykine (HB 18/6/13). There were also more substantial water-related dwellings at the Silent Valley, Dunnywater and Knockbreckan.
The plans were drawn up by L.L. Macassey, Engineer to the BCDWC, and approved the Board in February 1899. The contract (no.16, valued at £6806) for erecting all six houses was awarded to Messrs Courtney & Co in November of the same year. By April 1901, all were nearing completion, and they were presumably occupied the time the pipeline was officially opened in October of that year.

Sources:
Minutes of BCDWC Works Committee, PRONI - WAT1/3AC/2, pp.44, 91, 142, 276.
L.L. Macassey (1901), 'Mourne scheme and sundry works progress report, 15 Apr 1901' (PRONI - WAT1/3CG/6).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
X. Local Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance

Evaluation

One of the linesmen's houses along the Mourne conduit. Constructed in the distinctive and attractive style o£ the BCDWC, and of undoubted historical interest in the building complex being associated with Belfast's first water supply from the Mournes. The plans were drawn up by L.L. Macassey, Engineer to the BCDWC. A one and a half storey/ two bay waterpipe attendant's dwelling on north side of Brae Rd of rectangular plan and orientated north-south, with gable to the road with walling and boundary walls of squared random rubble Silurian masonry over a projecting base course.