Glebe House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A symmetrical three-bay, two-storey, stucco, former glebe house designed by Thomas Turner while working in the offices of Charles Lanyon; built c.1845 and located to the north of Ballinderry Road, Upper Ballinderry. Square on plan with west two-storey projection; two-bay three-storey return at north and single-storey extensions to north west internal angle at rear.

Hipped natural slate roof with concrete ridge tiles and central rooflight, deep overhanging eaves supported on paired timber brackets (no overhang to section of rear elevation and return), five rectangular smooth rendered corbelled chimneystacks each with projecting plinth at base and surmounted by two decorative clay pots; concealed gutters with exposed cast-iron downpipes (replacement rainwater goods to section of rear elevation and return); walling is ruled and lined stucco with projecting plinth, thick banded string course and painted stepped quoins. Windows are 6/6 horizontally divided timber framed sliding sashes (diminutive at first floor). At ground floor windows are contained within moulded architrave surmounted on projecting masonry sill supported by two console brackets. First floor window openings are raised over a blank recessed panel with flush sill. Combination of 3/6 timber casements and 6/6 replacement timber sliding sash windows to north return and extension.

The principal symmetrical elevation faces south and is three-bays wide; ground floor having central projecting single-storey entrance porch with flat roof, flanked by single window at left and right, three equally spaced windows at first floor. Entrance comprises chamfered vermiculated rusticated quoins to projecting corners; projecting moulded plinth; moulded string course and projecting blocking course. East cheek contains an eight panel raised-and-fielded entrance door with brass ironmongery surmounted by round arched headed fanlight set in moulded archivolt, door accessed by two masonry steps. South and west cheeks contain a round arched headed 6/6 timber sliding sash window surmounted by moulded archivolt with keyblock.

West elevation has a two-storey projection at left containing tripartite window at ground floor and single window at first floor. At right a single-storey bowed window containing bowed tripartite window and lead capped flat roof is surmounted by two windows.

North elevation is abutted at left by two-and-a-half storey return with pitched natural slate roof. A single-storey extension has been added c.2001 to internal angle at right. Exposed walling is blank with chimney projecting from eaves off centre at right.

North two-bay two-storey return appears to have been extended or remodelled to its north side with varying styles in wall finish and window detailing. Roof is natural slate with central chimneystack. South elevation at ground floor is abutted at right by single-storey extension built c.2001, two windows at left; two windows at left at first floor; two 3/6 timber sliding sash windows at right, four 3/6 at second floor, all windows to left bay are replacement. North gable contains replacement double leaf entrance door at ground floor surmounted by single oversized round arched headed window to first and second floor. The east elevation is abutted at ground floor by a modern roof covering enclosing a narrow entry between the north return and a parallel arrangement of single-storey stores; the arrangement of window to first and second floor on the east elevation is the same as that on the west elevation. The exposed wall of the single storey stores contains a large wall hung bell, the narrow entry is accessed through a replacement timber panelled glazed door.

The north extension is rectangular on plan with hipped roof and raised parapet with concealed rainwater goods; walls are smooth rendered; doors are modern double leaf glazed, single opening at north; two openings at south.

A stableblock containing eight stables is located at north aligned east-west. The external features are largely intact with the exception of replacement windows at first floor and a lean-to slated canopy which has been recently added to the north and south elevations. The roof is pitched natural slate with timber louvered ventilation cowl; walling is painted roughcast rendered; half stable doors are timber sheeted with original ironmongery. A roughly coursed rubble stone wall abuts the north-west corner of the stable block and enclosed a large garden and tennis courts at south; a lane to the north side of the wall provides access for farm vehicles to the Ballinderry Road. A large metal farm shed located to the north side of the farm is of little interest. A smaller square on plan double garage (possibly the former coach house) is located to the east of the farm and constructed from roughly coursed rubble stone walling with a hipped natural slate roof. The north yard is also accessed from the east through square plan roughcast rendered pillars with stone pyramidal cap.

Setting:

The house is located within a large site with mature vegetation, a long tree lined avenue provides access to the house. The house is accessed from the Ballinderry Road through a double alcoved entrance; entrance at left provides access to the farm at north; entrance at right provides access to the house and adjacent gatelodge. Entrances comprise square plan smooth rendered piers with pyramidal cap supporting replacement metal gates; attached plinth wall with replacement railings.

Roof: Hipped natural slate
Walling: Painted stucco
Windows: 6/6 horizontally divided timber framed sliding sashes
RWG: Concealed gutters with exposed cast-iron downpipes

Historical information

The Glebe in Upper Ballinderry does not appear on the Ordnance Survey maps until the second edition in 1858, when it was recorded as ‘Glebe House.’ The Glebe was depicted as a square shaped building with two small out offices (the northern return to the house was not added until much later). In 1859 Griffith’s Valuation valued the Glebe at £33. and recorded the building as a 1A class dwelling under the occupancy of the Rev. William Stear Blackwood who had purchased the lease from the Marquis of Hertford. By 1863 the house was in the possession of the Rev. Edward Maguire, and was now let by the ‘Church Temporalities Commissioners in Ireland.’ In 1872 the value of the House was raised to £45.

In 1876 the house came into the possession of the Rev. George Brydges Sayers for whom the house was deemed unmanageable. In 1882 the value of the house was reduced to £35; the valuer observed that the ‘house [was] too large for [the] clergymen of Parish [and] very expensive to keep in repair.’ The 1901 census records that Rev. George Brydges Sayers was born c.1831 in Limerick City and lived in the Glebe with his wife Sarah Jane Sayers (68). The census records that the Glebe consisted of over 13 inhabited rooms and was a 1st class dwelling. An oblong out office to the north of the Glebe was used as stables, and a small building to the east of the house was likely used as a coach house; a number of other farm houses were recorded on the census such as a cow house and dairy house.

The Rev. Sayers resided within the Glebe until c.1903 when the Rev. Joseph William Minchin became the new Rector of Ballinderry, a post he held until 1940. The 1911 census tells us that Minchin, born c.1864 in Sligo, lived in the Glebe with his wife Eliza Jane (44) and their five children. The building return states that Minchin removed a calf house but added an extra stable, piggery, barn, workshop and shed to Sayers already extensive holdings. Minchin held the Glebe until the Revisions ended in 1929 and likely resided there until the end of his service at the Parish Church in 1940.

Brett states that the Glebe was built in 1846 by Rev. William Stear Blackwood who was the incumbent minister at Upper Ballinderry Parish Church. Rev. Blackwood was the son of the third Baron Dufferin and Clandeboye, Hans Blackwood, leading Brett to presume that Blackwood erected the Glebe at his own personal expense. William Stear Blackwood died on 28 May 1874 (Brett, p. 135; Burke’s Peerage, p. 1196). Brett believes that the house may have been designed and built by Thomas Turner, an architect of Charles Laynon’s employ, as the Glebe is an example of his unusual ornamental style. By 1940 the building was no longer used as a Rectory when it came into the possession of the architect R. H. Gibson who had trained under Henry Weaver, (designer of the War Memorial Hall at Ballinderry - HB19/01/060). Gibson carried out some interior changes to the house ‘especially to the very successful arrangements for rooflighting to landing and mezzanine.’ The house was occupied by Gibson until it was bought by the current owners in 1989 (Brett, p. 135).

A garden room was added to the north side of the house after 1920. In the 1990s a new house was permitted on the grounds, and since this time a swimming pool extension has also been added. (NIEA File). The original length of stables is still in use, but this is recreational, rather than agricultural.

This former Rectory has been well maintained by the current owners and preserves the Victorian character of the original house; the interior layout of the house remains largely unchanged although it has been extended. A number of early features survive such as an original brass hanging pendant light and panelled window aprons in the entrance hall as well as original moulded cornice throughout several of the rooms. The Glebe house is a significant building which adds to our knowledge of the ecclesiastical history of Upper Ballinderry Parish Church, which is all the more interesting due to its high level of preservation.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI VAL/1/A/1/63 – Field Map c.1830
2. PRONI VAL/1/B/167 – Townland Valuation
3. PRONI OS/6/1/63/1 – First Edition OS Map 1832
4. PRONI OS/6/1/63/2 – Second Edition OS Map 1857
5. PRONI OS/6/1/63/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1900-1901
6. PRONI OS/6/1/63/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1920-1921
7. PRONI VAL/2/B/1/58 – Griffith’s Valuation 1859
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/1 A – Annual Revisions 1863-1879
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/1 B – Annual Revisions 1880-1888
10. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/1 C – Annual Revisions 1888-1901
11. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/1 D – Annual Revisions 1902-1912
12. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/1 E – Annual Revisions 1913-1929

Secondary Sources

1. Brett, C. E. B., ‘Buildings of County Antrim’ Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1996.
2. Mosley, C., ‘Burkes Peerage, baronetage and knightage 107th edition’ U.S.A.: Burke’s Peerage Ltd, 2003.
3. NIEA File – HB19/01/046.

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
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

An attractive three-bay, two-storey, stucco, former glebe house designed by Thomas Turner while working in the offices of Charles Lanyon; built c.1845 and located to the north of Ballinderry Road, Upper Ballinderry. Square on plan with west two-storey projection; two-bay three-storey return at north and single-storey extensions to north west internal angle at rear. Externally the house remains largely intact in terms of its massing and proportion, the building is well-conceived and is further enhanced by its setting, detached outbuildings, walling and unspoilt rural setting. The former glebe house has group value with Ballinderry Parish Church, (HB19/01/041) and overall the house contributes significantly to the architectural heritage of the local rural.