Farmyard wall and gate piers at Finnebrogue estate farmyard

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Long, tall rubble-built wall of perhaps c.1795-1800, with two sets of gates, which encloses the north-west side of the Finnebrogue estate farmyard, a large complex built in various stages from (perhaps) c.1790s, to the mid 1900s. The farmyard is located on the SE side of Killyleagh Road, roughly two miles N of Downpatrick, with the wall facing directly unto the road itself.

The wall is in fieldstone rubble, laid largely randomly, but with some areas semi-coursed. For the most part the wall is relatively tall, over a storey in height, but is considerably lower (roughly 2.5 metres) to the S gateway and to the N, where it forms the back wall of a single storey range and a modern style corrugated-metal clad shed / barn. Indeed much of the wall originally had the dual purpose of forming the backs of a range of buildings built against it. A large portions of these buildings have been demolished, with some other portions replaced with modern style structures -for instance the aforementioned corrugated-metal clad shed / barn-, but all still incorporate the original wall in their roadside elevations.

Close to the N and S ends of the wall (where its height drops) are vehicle gateways. These are largely identical, with square pillars in squared fieldstone capped with pyramidal sandstone caps and simple tall wrought iron gates with vernacular fleur-de-lis type heads to the railings. The pillars of both gateways have had their caps dislodged, the gate to the S gateway is broken in places and the S pillar of the N gateway is largely smothered in thick shrub growth.

Historical information

The Finnebrogue estate farmyard
The early development of the Finnebrogue estate farm is unclear. The earliest extant plan of the complex is that supplied on the OS map of 1834, which shows much of the long range of buildings straddling the boundary wall to the north-west side, the large stable to the south-east of this, the house east again, the smaller house to the south end of the yard, and the large threshing barn, (with horse walk next to it), to the east of the long range. It is difficult to ascertain when these buildings appeared. The 1838 valuation grades some buildings ‘A’ (possibly built in the previous 25-30 years) and ‘B’ (possibly over thirty years old), implying that the complex witnessed various periods of development. Industrial archaeologist Dr Fred Hammond has suggested that much of the construction work may have taken place shortly after the refurbishing of Finnebrogue House itself, i.e. c.1795-1800, and that the creation of a ‘model’ farmyard may have been intended.

Map evidence shows that between 1834 and 1858 the long north-west range was extended northwards, with the large cow shed, corn store (with drying kiln), steam engine house and chimney grouping- a collection of structures all geared towards the feeding of cattle- built to the north-east, with the single storey range to the south, (opposite the large stable), also added to the site. Plans within the Perceval-Maxwell Papers at PRONI (see refs below) show that the large ‘cattle-feeding’ grouping to the north-east was built around 1854.

Between 1859 and 1900 the single storey stable block to the far east side of the complex appeared along with the single storey shed to the immediate east of the threshing barn, the brick gate house was built to the north side of the south gateway and a building (now demolished) was added to the very north-east corner of the yard. Unfortunately the valuation revision books give little indication of exact dates of construction or the original functions of each building.

In the early 20th century a long single storey side was added to the north side of the old threshing barn, circular grain silos erected to the north end of the yard (but now demolished), and two metal-framed Dutch barns built just to the north of the large stables (also demolished). In the course of the 1900s many of the buildings became adapted to new farm uses. Much of the long north-west range was demolished at some point and partly replaced with a corrugated-metal roofed lean-to structure.

In the latter decades of the century the complex appears to have fallen into disuse. It was sold to the present owner in c.1990-91. Since then the large house to the south-east has been refurbished, along with the smaller dwelling to the south-west. Some of the farm buildings are currently used as stores.

The walling and gates
The southern half of the north-west range of buildings, of which this wall forms the back of, is shown on the OS map of 1834, with the gateway to the S end. If, as has been suggested by Dr Fred Hammond, many (if not all) of these buildings may have dated from c.1795-1800, then by default the walling must, in part at least, date from this period also. Thus, it could also be argued that as the north-west range was extended northwards between 1834 and 1858, then the walling was extended also, however it is possible that the wall originally stretched further to the north, and that the buildings were simple erected against it. Unfortunately as the only available evidence relating to the wall comes in the form of the small plans of the farmyard shown on the 6in OS maps of 1834 and 1858, it is difficult to be certain of any of this.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI T.1023, D.1556, D.2480, D.3244, D.3817, D.4218 Perceval-Maxwell Papers, 1606-1969 [Of particular interest are D.1556/11/21, a mid 19th century plan of the farmyard, and D.1556/11/5 & 16, plans of the ‘cattle-feeding’ complex dating from 1854.]
2 Walter Harris, ‘The ancient and present state of the County of Down’ (Dublin, 1744), p.39
3 ‘Taylor’s and Skinner’s maps of the roads of Ireland’ (Dublin, 1777), map 282
4 PRONI OS/6/3/31/1 6in OS map, Co Down, sh 31, 1834
5 PRONI VAL.1B/372 First valuation, Inch parish, 1838
6 ‘Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland’ vol.17, ed Angelique Day and Patrick McWilliams (QUB, 1992), pp.74-75
7 PRONI OS/6/3/31/2 6in OS map, Co Down, sh 31, 1858
8 PRONI VAL.2B/3/74 Second valuation notebook, Inch Parish, 1861
9 PRONI VAL.12B/18/13a-d Annual valuation revision books, 1864-79, 1880-97, 1898-1911, 1912-29
10 PRONI OS/6/3/31/3 6in OS map, Co Down, sh 31, c.1901

Secondary sources
1 ‘Archaeological survey of Co. Down (Belfast, HMSO, 1966), pp.362-63 etc.
2 Fred Hammond, ‘Farmyard, Finnebrogue estate, Downpatrick, Co Down’ [Survey report for EHS, September 1991]
3 Anthony Malcomson, The Perceval-Maxwell Papers- Introduction (1998) [Available at PRONI]

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
D. Plan Form
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
V. Authorship

Evaluation

Long, tall rubble-built wall of perhaps c.1795-1800, with two sets of gates, which encloses the north-west side of the Finnebrogue estate farmyard, a large complex built in various stages from (perhaps) c.1790s, to the mid 1900s. This structure has group value with the other listed buildings on the estate.

General comments

In the first survey this record was numbered HB18/18/054.