Mill Hill

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Largely symmetrical, two storey gabled Georgian house of 1786, double piled with the rear portion off set giving a plan form of two staggered rectangles. The property is set at the end of a drive to the NE of Church Road, on the southern outskirts of Ballynahinch.

A flight of four stone steps (reducing in pyramid fashion) rise to the SW facing main entrance. The threshold step bows out slightly. The central panelled front door is framed with simple chamfered pilasters with well worn capitals and is surmounted by a plain rectangular fanlight which in turn is surmounted by a semicircular fanlight with lace pattern. The pilasters sit on a small chamfered base and have the date 1786 inscribed into their well worn capitals. The shaft of each pilaster is a recent replacement (and each appears too broad) but the capitals appear to be original. The pilasters support a split pediment.

To the left and right of the door are two window openings with moulded surrounds and modern slim concrete cills. These windows all have sash frames with vertical astragals (2 panes over 2). These ground floor windows are recent insertions and replaced two large modern (c.1970s) picture windows (which in turn replaced two late Victorian single storey bay windows- the outline of which can still be seen on the render).

To first floor are five evenly spaced windows, with frames as before. The windows to ground floor do not quite line up with those on first floor (hence the façade is not quite symmetrical). To the left and set back is the SW face of the ‘rear rectangle’ which has a single window (sash and with horizontal astragals) to ground and to the first floor.

The SE gable to the main front portion is blank with the exception of two small attic sash windows. The SE gable to the rear section has an off centre sash window, with vertical astragals, to both ground and first floors. To the second floor is a centred window opening with modern timber frame.

The left side of the NW façade of the main house has one sash window to first floor. The right side is obscured by the ‘rear rectangle’. The rear section has two window openings to the first floor. That to the left is smaller. Both have modern frames. The lower right of this face is obscured by a modern single storey kitchen extension. The ground to the rear of the house rises with the result that the cill to kitchen windows are level with the outside ground level. The kitchen has a wide modern strip window to the NE face.

The NW gable to the main house has two small attic windows with modern pivot frames. To left side of ground and first floor is a window opening with a sash window with vertical astragals. The NW gable to the rear portion has two small windows to attic level.

The house is rendered and painted, with lined render to the front facade. The corners of the main front section have quoins. The roof is covered with Bangor Blue slate and both sections have over hanging eaves and verges with plain barge boards. There is a chimney stack to each gable of the front section and to the NW gable of the rear section and all appear to have been rebuilt in fairly recent times. Mainly cast iron rw goods.

Historical information

As the front door surround suggests, this house appears to have been built in 1786. It is probably that shown on William Byer’s Ballynahinch map of c.1790, then named ‘Mill field’ and in the possession of a Mr. Hamilton. The building is shown much as today on the OS map of 1834, when according to the valuation records, it was home to a John Mullholland. By 1863 it was in the hands of a William Lightbody and had adopted the present name of ‘Mill Hill’. It was still home to the Lightbody family in 1886. The present owner’s family acquired the property in c.1940.

The front façade of Mill Hill has witnessed significant alteration over the years, for, according to the present owner, it used to sport to single storey hipped roof bays, probably late Victorian additions. The current owner removed the bays c.1973, replacing them with large picture windows. These windows were in turn replaced recently with two smaller windows to either side, returning the façade to something of its original feel. The pilaster shafts to the entrance doorcase have also been replaced.

The roof, with its overhang, also appears to be a late Victorian replacement.

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 D.272/41 MS map of Ballynahinch by William Byers, c.1790
3 PRONI OS/1/3/22 OS map 1st ed., 1834, Co. Down 22.
4 PRONI VAL/1B/388A-B Valuation records, Magherdrool, 1834-1838.
5 PRONI VAL/1D/3/19 Valuation town plan, Ballynahinch, 1838.
6 Linen Hall Library ‘Slater’s National Commercial Directory of Ireland’ (Manchester 1846), p.442.
7 PRONI and Linen Hall Library ‘Belfast and Province of Ulster Directory’ Vols.1-21, 1852-1900, (Belfast, Henderson [1852-65], Belfast News-Letter [1865- ]).
8 PRONI OS/9/41/1 OS Town plan of Ballynahinch, 1860
9 PRONI and Linen Hall Library Second (Griffith’s) valuation, Magherdrool, c.1863 [in print].
10 PRONI VAL/12E/83/1 Valuation town plans, Ballynahinch, 1864-1905.
11 PRONI VAL/12E/83/2 Valuation town plans, Ballynahinch, 1905-35.
12 PRONI OS/8/3/2 OS town plan of Ballynahinch, 1920.
13 PRONI VAL/3G/59/1 Valuation town plans, Ballynahinch, 1937-53.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Largely symmetrical, two storey Georgian house of 1786, double piled with the rear portion off set giving a plan form of two staggered rectangles. The front façade retains its the split pediment upper portion of original doorcase, but the pilaster shafts are recent replacements. The ground floor windows to the front are recent insertions also, replacing two large 1970s picture windows, which in turn replaced two single storey late Victorian bays. The roof has an overhang suggesting it is a late Victorian reconstruction.