Maryfield,

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two storey Neo-Georgian house of 1952 with single storey side wings. The house is set on the SW side of Bryansford Avenue, W of Newcastle town centre.

The front façade is largely symmetrical. To the centre of the ground floor is a large hipped roof porch which was added fairly recently. It has timber sheeted double doors to front, multi pane glazed sidelights with sides totally glazed in similar fashion. The porch roof is copper covered. Within the porch is the panelled and glazed door to the hallway. To left and to right of the porch is a sash window with Georgian panes, 8 over 8 design. To the first floor are three similar, but smaller, windows, grouped centrally with the outer windows not in line with those to the ground floor.

The single storey side wings are to each main gable and are set back from the façade of the main house. Each has three small four pane windows to front. The wing to the SE has a flat roofed garage attached. The NW wing has a small lean to attached.

The exposed section of the SE gable of the main house has a small four pane window to right on the first floor i.e. to the section of gable ‘in front’ of the side wing. To the first floor are two sash windows, 3 over 6 design. There are two similar windows to the first floor of the NW gable and a small four pane window to the ground floor.

The rear of the main house is also symmetrical. In the centre of the ground floor is the rear entrance which has a pair of French doors. To either side of this is a large bow window bay with multi pane (georgian-like) glazing, a brick base and lead covered curved roof. These bays are not original. To the centre of the first floor is a small balcony with wrought iron balustrading, reached via another pair of French doors, this time with a five pane fanlight (which also opens hopper fashion). To either side of this doorway is a sash window, as front.

The rear of the SE wing has been extended slightly and is totally glazed with glazed doors incorporatedinto the compostion. To the rear of the NW wing there are modern sliding patio doors.

The entire façade is finished in rough cast and painted. The roofs are gabled and covered in asbestos slates. Roof overhang to eaves. Three rendered chimney stacks. Cast iron rw goods.

Historical information

This house was built in 1952 for Mrs. E. Dickson to designs by Smyth & Dornan of 31 College Gardens, Belfast. The front porch and bow windows were added c.1990 and the layout has been altered in recent years also.

References- Primary sources
1 Original plans by Smyth & Dornan in possession of current owner of Maryfield.

Secondary sources
1 P.J. Rankin, ‘Historic Buildings, Groups of Buildings, Areas of Architectural Importance in the Mourne Area of South Down’, (Belfast UAHS 1975), p.78. [The author of this book states that the house is by B. [Ben] Cowser].

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Two storey Neo Georgian house of 1952 by Smyth & Dornan with single storey side wings. A large porch has been added to the front in recent years along with a pair of large bow windows to the rear