Highlands

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Large, irregular, two storey slightly Tudoresque, slightly Celtic baronial, gentleman’s residence of c.1840 with a profusion of gabled projections and half-dormers. The property is set at the end of a curving drive to the N of Farranfad Road, roughly a mile NE of Seaforde, c.4 miles W of Downpatrick. The style of the building bears a close resemblance to Delamont House after its c.1840s remodelling; as both the latter and ‘Highlands’ belonged to members of the Gordon family during this period, both may the work of the same architect.

The front elevation faces E and is asymmetrical and has a complex appearance. Basically the elevation is made up of six bays, each topped with a gable or a gabled half dormer. Within each bay there are a variety of flat arch windows with a variety of Georgian paned frames, some sash, some with small hopper openers.

Unusually there are two doorways to this elevation. The main doorway is that to the ground floor of the 2nd bay (from left). This consists of a timber panelled double door with simple thick granite surround. The doorway is flanked by tall four pane sidelights. Directly above the doorway is a relatively small, flat roofed oriel window.

To the left of this bay is a broader bay which projects slightly. To the ground floor of this bay is another bay which projects marginally and has a flat roof and a large mullioned and transomed window (with upper openers). To the first floor of the main bay is a slightly smaller tripartite sash window.

The 3rd bay (to the immediate right of the main entrance bay) is recessed and topped with a tall half-dormer. To the ground floor of this bay is a large mullioned and transomed window (similar to 1st bay) with a small sash window to the first floor (set within the half-dormer).

The 4th bay projects once again. To the ground floor is a doorway with a glazed and panelled door with plain Tudor arch fanlight and heavy granite surround (as main doorway, but with keystone). To the first floor is a sash window (as 3rd bay).

The 5th bay matches the 3rd bay (and is also recessed).

The 6th bay (to far right) projects slightly. It has a window arrangement as 3rd and 5th bays, but has a proper gable and not a half-dormer.

The short S elevation has a central projecting gabled bay. To the ground floor of this bay is a large mullioned window. To the first floor is a small casement window. To the W face of the bay there is a pair of French doors to the ground floor. To the E face of the bay there is a ground floor window as front (S) face. To either side of the bay (to main S façade) is a window as E face of bay. To the first floor to each side is a large double sash window set within a tall half-dormer, as front.

The N elevation is shorter again than that to S and has a utilitarian feel. To the centre of the ground floor is a sash window. To the first floor right is a small window with plain casement frame.

To the far left on the long rear façade is a gable bay. To the right on the ground floor of this is a timber sheeted door. Set at an intermediate [?stairwell] level to the left is a small window with plain modern-looking frame. To the first floor is a sash window. To the right of this bay is a large bay with a utilitarian feel. To the ground floor this are two sash windows, then a shorter casement window, then a pair of French doors. To the first floor there is a single centrally located sash window (which has 8 panes over 8 as opposed to 6/6 for the rest of the single sash windows).

To the right of this bay the right half of the rear elevation projects. The W face of the projection is in three bays. The 1st bay (to left) has a sash window to ground floor with a small window to first floor (with modern-looking frame). To the N facing (gabled) face of this bay there is a small sash window to the ground floor and a window with modern frame to the first floor.

The 2nd W facing bay has a large mullioned window to the first floor and a large double sash window to the first floor, set within a tall half-dormer. The gabled 3rd bay is identical to the 1st bay to front, with a shall flat roofed bay, with large mullioned and transomed window, to ground floor, and a large tripartite sash window to the first floor.

The façade is largely finished in plain painted render, with in /out granite quoins to many of the bays and a thick granite eaves course to much of the building. There is a tall granite base also, and the ground floor windows to front, S and part of the rear, rest on a granite sill course which is actually part of the base. The large ground floor windows to front, S and right side of the rear, have thick plain painted surrounds. The gables and half-dormers resemble those found on Irish and Scottish tower houses, with stone coping and granite kneelers.

The roof is slated and has three tall, granite capped chimney stacks. To the rear of the roof there is a small (N facing) gabled dormer with casement windows. Cast iron rw goods.

Historical information

‘Highlands’ is shown on the OS map of 1858. It was built in the 1840s by a Colonel Gordon, who is believed to acted as an agent for the Forde family. He is also believed to have been a member of the Gordon family of Delamont House (though the writers have not confirmed this). If he were one of the Delamont Gordons then it might explain the similarities between the design this property and Delamont as it emerged after remodelling in c.1840.

The Gordons remained at Highlands until at least 1886. In the early 20th century the property was acquired by the Corbett family and in 1960 sold to the late Brian Faulker MP, former Prime Minister of Northern Ireland.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS/6/3/37/2 OS map, Down sh 37, 1858
2 PRONI 2nd valuation, Loughinisland, c.1860 [in print]
3 George Henry Bassett ‘County Down Guide and Directory’ (Dublin 1886), p.147

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A good example of a large, irregular two storey, slightly Tudoresque, gentleman’s residence of c.1840 with a profusion of gabled projections and half-dormers. The style of the building bears a close resemblance to Delamont House after its c.1840s remodelling. As both the latter and ‘Highlands’ belonged to members of the Gordon family during this period, both may the work of the same architect.