Corn store, granary, cowshed etc at Finnebrogue estate farmyard

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Large conjoined rubble-built grouping of farm buildings to the north side of the Finnebrogue estate farmyard, consisting of a long single storey gabled cowshed, a large three storey corn store /granary and a large two storey lean-to to the rear of this, formerly a steam engine house (with tall attached chimney), all dating from c.1854. The grouping is part of a large farm complex built in various stages from (perhaps) c.1790s, to the mid 1900s, located on the SE side of Killyleagh Road, roughly two miles N of Downpatrick.

[The grouping lies on a roughly NW-SE axis, but for the purposes of this report NW will be taken as W, SE as E etc.] To the W end of the grouping is the cowshed. To the E this abuts the W face of the large lean-to engine house, which is the N side of the corn store section. The tall chimney rises to the NE corner of the engine house.

The cowshed is a long single storey gabled building, rubble-built with a slated roof, it was originally longer, with a turnip store to the west end, but this was demolished at some point To the front (S) elevation it has three large crudely square brick dressed window openings some with crudely fashioned frames. These window openings all appear to have been enlarged. There is evidence of other former openings have been blocked up. A rubble wall projects from this elevation. This wall forms an enclosure which cattle must have been herded into. To the W facing gable there is a large pointed (‘triangular’) arch vehicle entrance with sliding doors. Above this arch the façade is in timber (see above- the building has actually been truncated to this side). To the N elevation there are some large windows, as S, with other openings blocked up. The roof has a row of cast iron skylights to both the N and S.

The large corn store building is three storeys high and fieldstone rubble-built with a slated hipped roof. To its W elevation it is abutted by the cowshed. To the ground floor of the W elevation, right of the intersection with the cowshed, there is a large elliptical arched vehicle entrance (now without door- but with opening obstructed with large palettes, boards etc.). To the second floor there are two brick dressed sash windows with Georgian panes (6/6).

To the ground floor of the larger S elevation there are two pedestrian doors to right with a small window to far right. To the first floor there are four brick dressed windows of varying size all with dilapidated Georgian-paned frames. To the second floor there are five small windows, one frameless the others plain glazed.

To the E the ground level is higher, and consequently the E elevation of the corn store is two storey. To the ground floor of this elevation there is a another large, elliptical arched vehicle entrance (also without door). To the right of this is a small frameless window opening. To the first floor there are two windows, as second floor S elevation.

The N elevation is largely covered by the large two storey lean-to engine house. The N face of the engine house, and the rest of this elevation, is obscured by thick shrub growth. To the NE corner of the lean-to is a tall square battered brick chimney.

The slated roof of the corn store lean-to has some cast iron roof lights to S. The slated roof of the lean-to has cast iron roof lights also.

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.

Corn store, granary, cowshed etc
As stated above, this complex was built in or shortly after 1854 for the purposes of feeding cattle. It is shown on the OS map of 1858. The largest building, the corn store, comprised a store for unthreshed corn, a straw store and a granary. Crops were unloaded from wagons at first floor level via the door to the east (where the ground level is higher). In the lean-to there was a steam engine, steam boiler, coal store, chaffing and grinding room, a stock feed preparation room and pump. In the single storey cowshed to the west there were 42 stalls and a central feeding passage, there was also originally a turnip store to the west gable but this was demolished at some point [?mid 1900s] and the building truncated.

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
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
Z. Rarity
V. Authorship

Evaluation

Large conjoined rubble-built grouping of farm buildings to the north side of the Finnebrogue estate farmyard, consisting of a long single storey gabled cowshed, a large three storey corn store /granary and a large two storey lean-to to the rear of this, formerly a steam engine house (with tall attached chimney), all dating from c.1854. The grouping is part of a large complex built in various stages from (perhaps) c.1790s, to the mid 1900s. This is an important building within the estate and has group value with the other listed buildings.

General comments

In the first survey this record was numbered HB18/18/040.