Farm buildings at Montalto House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Single and two storey estate farm complex probably mainly dating from c.1837, in coursed dark fieldstone and arranged around a courtyard. The complex was largely restored in the late 1990s. The grouping is located within the Montalto House demesne, a short distance SW of the house itself.

The complex is made up of roughly five main sections. Four of these are arranged around the courtyard with the remaining building, a large barn, set apart to the E side. The wings to the N, S are single storey, rectangular, and contain stables, with that to N narrower and with a mono-pitched roof . The entrance wing to the E is a slightly grander one and a half storey building with single storey lean-to projections to front and rear. This portion may be pre 1834. It is physically connected to the N and S wings. To the W side of the courtyard is a large two storey building, now containing offices. The barn to the E is a large single storey structure with a basement. The basement level is only visible from the S.

The front elevation of the main entrance wing is symmetrical. To the left and right of the elevation are large single storey projections. In the recessed space between the projections is the main entrance which consists of a relatively low elliptical headed carriage arch flanked by semicircular headed window-like arches. To the level above these are much squatter arched windows of corresponding shape, all filled with modern timber frames. The front façades of the two projections each have three large arches, that to the centre of each with timber sheeted double doors, with a modern window with timber sheeted apron to the remaining arches. To the short ‘inner’ faces of the projections (which face into the recessed entrance area) each have a large arch with door, as front, with a squat semicircular louvered opening set at a higher level.

The ‘inner’ (W facing) elevation of the entrance wing has a central recessed portion with similar arrangement as front. The flanking single storey projections each have two, relatively large, semicircular arches all filled with windows and aprons as front. The ‘inner’ faces of the projections each have a similar arch with timber sheeted door. To its outer edge the left had projection is abutted by the N wing, with that to the right abutted by the S wing.

The gabled S façade of the entrance wing is rendered and has a projection to the right side. To the left there is a small window with modern frame to both levels. To the right of this is a timber sheeted door to ground level and a similar loft door the upper level. The N gable has a projection to the left. To the right of this there is a modern garage door with small window with modern frame to left of this. To the upper level are two smaller windows with modern frames. The gabled roof of the entrance wing is slated.

The ‘inner’ (S facing) façade of the N wing has five large elliptical arches all filled with timber stable doors with sidelights with brick aprons, apart from that to the far left which is filled with a window with rendered apron. The ‘outer’ façade of this wing is actually a high rendered wall. The short W façade of the wing has a semicircular arch with timber sheeted double door with a squat semicircular arch with louvering, set at a high level. To the left hand edge of this façade there stretches a tall gate screen (in similar rubble as the farm buildings themselves) with large flat arch and squat piers. This gate screen spans between the N wing and the W wing.

The inner façade of the S wing is as N but handed. The S the façade is rendered and has a more modern, utilitarian appearance. To this side there are several flat arch doorways of various sizes and some small windows with modern frames. The short W façade is gabled and has openings as W façade of N wing only double the amount. A gate screen identical to the N wing abuts the centre of this façade and stretches to the W wing, as before. The short E façade has a large flat arched opening with timber sheeted double doors. To the right of this is a small high level window with modern frame. This wing has a slated gabled roof, with what appear to be small skylights to the S side.

The inner (E facing) façade of the large, two storey W wing has five large arched openings. The three to the centre are larger and have elliptical heads, the two outer one have semicircular heads. All are filled with timber sheeted double doors with fanlights. To the first floor there are five relatively small elliptical arch headed windows with modern four pane frames. These windows rest on a sill course. The N and S gables and the rear façade are all finished in plain render. The S gable has an upper level plain double fire escape door with fire escape stair. The N gable has a small window, with modern frame, to the right on the ground floor. To the left on the rear façade there is a small single storey lean-to with small modern windows. To the right of this are four modern windows and two timber sheeted doors. The W wing has a slated gable roof with Velux windows to the rear (W) and rendered parapets.

The courtyard has a paved perimeter and with gravel to the centre. Positioned roughly to the centre point of the courtyard is a late Victorian looking cast iron pump. There used to be a [?]stone trough next to this.

A short distance to the E of the main complex is the large barn. This single storey but contains a tall basement level which is only visible to the S gable. The building is finished as much of previous buildings, i.e. with slated gabled roof and coursed dark fieldstone. To the W façade there five large elliptical arches all now filled with door-like timber sheeting, but only the centre opening, (which is slightly broader than the rest), contains actual working doors (with wicket gate).

The N gable has three tall arches all timber sheeted. The outer two have semicircular heads whilst that to the centre has an elliptical head. Above these there is a small louvered roundel. The ground around the S gable is much lower than that to the rest of the building, revealing the basement level. The basement level is broader than the upper portion of the gable (as the basement stretches beyond the actual footprint of the barn) and has there arches to the centre similar in shape to those on the N gable. Beyond these are two outer arch recesses. The floor above this has three arches and a roundel, all as N gable.

The E façade has a large central elliptical arched opening, now completely glazed. It is flanked by narrow semicircular headed arched openings, also completely glazed. Beyond these are matching shallow arched recesses- which may originally have been openings.

Historical information

A building which appears to match the plan and siting of the entrance wing of this farm complex is shown on the OS map of 1834, with the whole grouping shown, as present, on the revised map of 1858. Originally the estate farm buildings appear to have been located next to Montalto House itself, but with the remodelling of the house in 1837, then owner David Stewart Ker had them demolished and (much of) this new grouping built a greater distance away from the house to the east.

The complex was renovated in the mid 1990s.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI D.1255 Title deeds, legal and testamentary papers, correspondence and Irish Land Commissioners Papers re the Ballynahinch Estate, 1630-1940
2 PRONI OS/6/3/29/1 OS map, Down sh 29, 1834
3 PRONI VAL/1B/388A-B Valuation records, Magherdrool, 1834-1838
4 PRONI OS/6/3/29/2 OS map, Down sh 29, 1858
5 PRONI and Linen Hall Library Second (Griffith’s) valuation, Magherdrool, c.1863 [in print]
6 PRONI OS/6/3/29/3 OS map, Down sh 29, c.1901

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
H-. Alterations detracting from building
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Single and two storey estate farm complex probably mainly dating from c.1837, in coursed dark fieldstone and arranged around a courtyard. The complex was largely restored in the late 1990s.