SEAFORDE HOUSE

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Austere, block-like, three storey neo-classical mansion of 1816-20 in sandstone, possibly by Peter F. Robinson; with hipped roof, bowed bay to the rear, and, to the front, a large rectangular porch- added in c.1890 to replace the original elliptical portico. The house stands within a designed demesne, with a large lake to the immediate W. The demesne itself probably dates from the 17th century and is located to the N of the small estate village of Seaforde, c.5.5 miles W of Downpatrick and a similar distance NE of Castlewellan. It was originally home to an earlier house, named ‘Castlenavan’, which was accidentally burnt down in 1816, occasioning the building of the present mansion.

The front elevation is symmetrical and faces E. To the centre of the ground floor is the large flat roofed porch. To the centre of the E face of the porch is a large panelled timber double door. Directly above the door is a short decorative band and directly above this is a large panel with the Forde family coat of arms carved thereon. The doorway and panels are flanked large sash windows with Georgian panes (9/9) and simple moulded surrounds. The windows separated from the doorway by Doric pilasters, with similar pilasters to the outer corners of the porch. To the N and S faces there is a single window, as before. The porch is topped by a plain frieze, dentilled cornice and a blocking course, and stands on a plain plinth.

To the left (on main front façade), are two windows, much as before but with, (relatively plain), hoods over. To the first floor are seven windows- as previous but shorter (6/6) and without hoods. To the second floor are seven more windows, shorter again (3/3). The last group of windows rest on a dentilled sill course. The three central windows to both first and second floors lie within a shallow projecting bay.

The S façade has five windows to each floor all corresponding in size to those to front, but all without surrounds, hoods etc., apart front that to the centre of the ground floor which has both. The N façade is identical to the S façade.

The W façade has a central full height bowed bay. To the ground floor of this is a large tripartite window (3/3, 9/9, 3/3) with stone mullions and a hood over. To either side of this is a window as ground floor front. To the first floor of the bay this arrangement is repeated, but with shorter windows (2/2, 6/6, 2/2 to centre, 6/6 to ‘sides’). To the second floor are three windows as second floor front. Either side of the bay there is a single tripartite window to the ground and first floors which correspond to those on the bay, and a small window to the second floor- again as bay. Each set of ground and first floor sits within a shallow recessed bay with segmental arch head.

The façade is in ashlar sandstone with a plain band between the ground and first floor and a dentilled sill course to second floor. The porch is in a slightly more reddish sandstone. The building rests on a shallow projecting plinth and is topped with a cornice and parapet. Basement openings are hidden from view, with lightwells the only external indication of their existence. The hipped roof is slated and has two centre sandstone chimney stacks, with a variety of pots. Cast iron rw goods.

Gravel forecourt to front.

Historical information

Seaforde House was built between 1816 and 1820 by Colonel Matthew Forde. It stands within lands bought by the Forde family (originally from Co. Wexford) in the 17th century, and replaced an earlier dwelling which accidentally burnt down in 1816. This earlier house, known as ‘Castlenavan’ is indicated on Taylor’s and Skinner’s map of 1777. The authorship of Seaforde House is uncertain, though English architect Peter Frederick Robinson (1776-1858), who designed the demesne’s main gate and gate lodge and prepared other (unexecuted) designs for Matthew Forde in the 1820s, is thought to have been responsible.

The house remained in its original form until c.1890, when Col. William Forde replaced the curving Ionic portico with the more austere enclosed porch, and removed the Georgian glazing throughout the house and inserted plate glass. The original glazing was reintroduced in the late 20th century.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI D.366 Forde papers
2 ‘Taylor’s and Skinner’s maps of the roads of Ireland’ (Dublin 1777), map 284
3 Drawings of Seaforde House in 1833 and other unexecuted designs for gates etc. (the latter by P.F. Robinson), c.1825 [In possession of Mr Patrick Forde.]
4 PRONI OS/6/3/37/1 OS map, Down sh 37, 1834
5 PRONI VAL/1B/387 1st valuation, Loughinisland, 1836
6 PRONI OS/6/3/37/2 OS map, Down sh 37, c.1858
7 PRONI 2nd valuation, Loughinisland, c.1860 [in print]
8 Photograph of Seaforde House showing the original portico c.1880s [reproduced in Mark Bence-Jones ‘A guide to Irish country houses’ (London 1988), p.256]
9 PRONI OS/6/3/37/3 OS map, Down sh 37, c.1901

Secondary sources
1 C.E.B. Brett ‘Historic buildings, groups of buildings….East Down’ (Belfast UAHS 1973), pp.26-29
2 Mark Bence-Jones ‘A guide to Irish country houses’ (London 1988), p.256

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
W. Northern Ireland/International Interest

Evaluation

Austere but impressive, three storey neo-classical mansion of 1816-20 in sandstone, possibly by Peter F. Robinson, with hipped roof, bowed bay to the rear, and, to the front, a large rectangular porch- added in c.1890 to replace the original elliptical portico. The house was built to replace an earlier dwelling which burnt down in 1816, and stands within a demesne probably dating from the 17th century.