Kinelarty

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A one and a half storey/ two bay former waterpipe attendant's house on south side of road. Of rectangular plan, orientated north-south, with gable to 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 yellow brick quoins (stepped) and cap. Walls of squared rubble Silurian in irregular courses over projecting basal course. Yellow brick used in projecting eaves, quoins (stepped) and along top of base course. Windows and door also trimmed with yellow brick heads and jambs (stepped); the latter also have stop-end chamfers. All window openings have shallow segmental heads and chamfered painted cills (probably of concrete); the actual windows are 2 over 2 timber-framed sliding sashes (unless ^otherwise stated) .

Main facade faces west. At left is one-storey porch with pitched natural slate roof and raised yellow brick verges and concrete kneelers. Four granite steps lead up to painted tongue-and-groove boarded door in left cheek; small electric light over. Window in west-facing gable wall of porch. Right cheek blank. To right of porch, on wall of main block, is a single window opening. Wall continues at right to enclose yard.
'North gable has two window openings to ground floor, and two to attic floor (i line with those below). The east wall is blank save for a single window to back room at ground floor left.
iSouth gable abutted at left by single-storey monopitched return along inside of yard's west wall. Above is a window opening to half landing. Above right of this is a similar window to back bedroom.
Yard projects south and east of the dwelling, with the entrance on north wall. Wall similar to dwelling in construction and yellow-brick trim; coped with rock faced blocks. Original wide entrance now with smooth render infill, with small pair of painted t+g doors inserted. Square masonry gate pillar to each side of the original opening, each with yellow brick quoins and projecting flat concrete cap.
Yard not inspected, but external view indicates that house internally connected to the one-storey return, from which exit to yard; attendants' houses elsewhere on conduit confirms this.
There is pair of red-painted wrought-iron vehicle gates to road, and a single pedestrian gate opposite the door. These are hung from cast iron posts, the bal heads of which are embossed 'BWC' (Belfast Water Commissioners).

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 ar at Tullybranigan (HB 18/13/70), Ballybannon (HB 18/11/41), Dunmore (HB 18/16/22), Ballykine (HB 18/6/13) and Creevytenant (HB 18/1/38). There were a 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 by 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 presumat occupied by the time the pipeline was officially opened in October of that ye Cited as a caretaker's house in the 1904 valuation.

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 Ap 1901' (PRONI - WAT1/3CG/6).

PRONI - VAL 12B/18/24D, p. 38.

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

Evaluation

One of the linesmen's houses along the Mourne conduit. Constructed in the distinctive and attractive style of the BCDWC and of undoubted historical interest in the building complex being associated with Belfast's first water supply from the Mournes. A one and a half storey, two bay waterpipe attandant's dwelling of rectangular paln and orientated north- south with gable to the Drumnaquoile Road with intact gates and pipe inspection chamber. Although of modest scale,the complex has been carefully executed and good use has been made of contrasting yellow brick in its embellishment.