Brookhill Demesne Walled Garden

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Part of walled garden to Brookhill Demesne; part of a group of historic garden structures associated within the Brookhill Demesne(main house demolished); including walled garden, gates, outbuildings and a tower(HB19/03/064B & C); dates range from 1800 to 1870. The estate is located on the north side of the Ballinderry road, approximately 2.5miles south east of Upper Ballinderry.

Brookhill Demesne is a small estate comprising the former Jacobethan-style house, with extensive agricultural outbuildings located to the rear(HB19/03/064B); large lawn to the front leading to an enclosed walled garden adjacent to the main road(HB19/03/064C-D). To the east is a heavily wooded area, through which the current entrance is routed, where gate lodge (HB19/03/064A) is located at the entrance.

WALLED GARDEN

The southwest boundary wall is basalt stone, built to courses with concrete coping, possibly replacing an earlier wall c.1870. South-west wall subdivided into two sites with two 20th century openings (Gate 01 & 02) leading to two modern dwellings erected within the walled garden. Gate 02 and associated walling in separate ownership(HB19/03/064C).

The south east wall is predominantly coursed basalt; with access gate (gate 06) located to the left c.1850; red bricked pointed-arched with basalt spandrels; iron gates. The far right of the wall has been modified; former location of a gate lodge.

The north-east wall is partially coursed basalt to the right half with basalt rubble with intermediate brick courses and upper brick arches to the, left hand side. North-east wall subdivided into two sites in separate ownership(HB19/03/064C-D). Gate 05 is in separate ownership (HB19/03/064C); the earliest gate to the walled gardens, is a simple brick arched opening; replacement door.

To the south-east corner is south elevation of small 1 ½ storey lean-to gardeners cottage predating 1830; elevation of gardener's cottage incorporated into face of the walled garden; consisting of brick facade with rubble upper section; central door with two first floor openings. Other elevations on north side of wall in separate ownership (HB19/03/064B); consist of rubble masonry with brick surrounds; central door flanked by windows openings to northeast elevation; blank side elevations.

The north-west wall is in separate ownership (HB19/03/064C); appears to be the earliest section, possibly dating back to an earlier dwelling dating from c.1610; field stone with upper brick courses likely to be added later. Central gate (Gate 04) added c.1870; compound pointed arched; brick with basalt spandrels.

Setting:
The former walled gardens now enclose two modern dwellings accessed from the road running parallel to the site. Beyond the walls is the mature woodland that leads up to the new house at the former site of Brookhill with gardens to the front. The historic agricultural buildings to the rear which form the agricultural
setting are primarily asymmetrical two-storey pitched slate roof, coursed basalt with red brick surrounds to openings, dating from c.1830-1855 (HB19/03/064B). These buildings extend to the north and some of them have 20th century alterations. Beyond the agricultural structures is open rural landscape. The gate lodge (HB19/03/064A) built c.1870, replacing an earlier gate lodge is located at the east entrance.

Walling: Random and coursed masonry/basalt rubble/brick

Historical information

The Ordnance Survey Memoirs (1837) tell us that the now demolished Brookhill House was constructed c. 1641-49 replacing an earlier 17th century fortified dwelling which had been constructed during the Plantation of Ulster. W. S. Corken tells us that this ‘stone bawn’ was constructed in 1611 by Sir Foulke Conway although an earlier residence on the site had been occupied by the Elizabethan colonel Sir Francis Brook after whom Brookhill was named. In 1631George Rawdon came into possession of the dwelling and resided there during the 1641 Rebellion and Confederate wars of the 1640–50s; during the 1641 Rebellion Brookhill was seized by the leader of the Rebellion, Sir Phelim O’Neil, who later set fire to the property whilst retreating from his defeat at Lisburn.

The Ordnance Survey Memoirs tell us that the remains of this 17th century castle were situated ‘opposite Mr. Watson’s present house and constitutes a part of his garden [and] at present there remains in the garden wall several yards in length of the old parapet wall that surrounded the castle which is still called the Castle Wall.’ The current north-west garden wall is the earliest section of the walls and may have been a part of this early castle wall, the only section corresponding to the Ordnance Survey description of a wall ‘built of stone and lime and [standing] 7 and a half feet high and 2 and a half feet thick.’

The house was rebuilt between 1641 and 1649 and was later occupied by a Mr. James Watson c. 1740 at which time this Jacobethan dwelling was enlarged or modified (Ordnance Survey Memoirs, Co. Antrim VII, Vol. 21, p. 100; Corken, pp 6-7). The only surviving historic structures at Brookhill are these 19th century additions constructed by the Watson family and William Lyons (a later occupant). The Brookhill estate was let by the Marquis of Hertford to James Watson c. 1740; an 1806 letter to the Marquis of Herford tells us that ‘the lease [had] turned out very beneficial to that family ... a great and expanding estate for nearly forty years past.’ This letter was written towards the expiration of the lease at which time Hertford’s agent urged him to reassume control of the estate for his own residence in Ireland. The agent tells us that Watson had ‘laid out considerable sums in improving Brookhill house and gardens, yet he did so at his peril, perhaps with a view of embarrassing [Hertford] with his claims for such improvements. Hertford did not repossess the house and the Watson family continued to occupy Brookhill House until c.1870 when possession of the estate passed to a Mr. William T. B. Lyons.

The walls enclosing the pleasure garden south-west of Brookhill house were likely constructed during the occupation of James Watson and his son John Watson (who resided at Brookhill until 1856) as the first edition of the Ordnance Survey maps in 1832 clearly shows that the area had been enclosed by this period, although few features are evident aside from the earliest gate (gate 05 - situated to give access from the house to the gardens through the northwest wall) and an a 1 ½ storey lean-to gardeners cottage to the east corner of the walls. The second edition of the Ordnance Survey (1857) shows that the garden was extensively landscaped with an extra gateway added to the south-east wall (Gate 06). This map also shows that a gate lodge had been constructed to the south entrance of the estate; although this was later replaced c. 1870 by the current surviving gate lodge (HB 19/03/064A). A second gate lodge located to the south-east corner of the garden walls can also be seen on the second edition map; however this had been taken down by the third edition of the ordnance Survey in 1900. Dean tells us that this gate lodge ‘was not of long standing’ and was taken down when William Lyons took over possession of the house c. 1870.

The southwest section of the garden wall was possibly rebuilt c. 1870 as part of the work carried out by Lyons; further additions to the walls at this time include the installation of a new gateway at the western entrance to the estate (gate 03) and an additional opening in the northwest wall (gate 04). The Annual Revisions tell us that when Lyons took over the estate it was valued at £150; however this was decreased to £120 in 1886 due to complaints that the value of the estate had been too high despite the improvements that had been recently added to the walls of the estate. This enclosed area continued to be used as a pleasure garden until the mid-to-late 20th century when a private dwelling was constructed within the garden walls; at this time an additional entrance was constructed (gate 01). The 1971 Ordnance Survey map depicts this dwelling in the south-east half of the gardens; however in the late 20th century a second dwelling was constructed to the north-west half along with an additional gateway (gate 02).

By 1994 Brookhill House lay abandoned and had fallen into a state of dilapidation (Dean, p. 6); the main house has now been mostly demolished, however a number of its surrounding historic structures survive. The most prominent of these is a tower which dates from c. 1850 and abuts the south-east gable of a two-storey outbuilding; an illustration of Brookhill House (unknown date) shows that this tower was originally covered with a cupola which has since been lost (the picture shows that a similar ornate domed tower adorned the roof of Brookhill House). Despite the loss of the cupola, this tower is in a good state of repair although its original purpose is unknown.

To the north-west of the house stands an ornate gateway (gate 07) which was constructed to give access to the northern outbuildings; this gateway appears from the 1857 Ordnance Survey map and it currently in a good state of preservation. A second gateway located at the eastern entrance to the house (gate 08) does not appear on the Ordnance Survey maps until the third edition (1900-01), however it could possibly date from an earlier period. The remainder of the northern outbuildings were constructed between 1832 and 1857 under John Watson and are still used as farmbuildings. The Main house at Brookhill has a 20th century replacement dwelling on the site of the earlier house and the remains of the demesne garden structures including a gardener's cottage, pleasure garden, walls, gates, tower & outbuildings, all currently under separate ownership.

References

Primary Sources
1. PRONI T3076/2/39 – Letter to the Marquis of Hertford, 13 April 1806
2. PRONI OS/6/1/63/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey Map 1832
3. PRONI OS/6/1/63/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey Map 1857
4. PRONI OS/6/1/63/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey Map 1900-01
5. PRONI OS/6/1/63/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey Map 1920-21
6. PRONI VAL/2/B/1/62/B – Griffiths Valuation 1859
7. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/6/A – Annual Revisions 1863-1866
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/6/B – Annual Revisions 1868-1881
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/6/C – Annual Revisions 1881-1889
10. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/6/D – Annual Revisions 1890-1904
11. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/6/E – Annual Revisions 1905-1918
12. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/6/F – Annual Revisions 1918-1923
13. Ordnance Survey Memoirs, Co. Antrim VII, Vol. 21.
14. Ordnance Survey map 164-4 (1971)

Secondary Sources
1. Corken, W. S., ‘Magheragall Parish News’ (Article in Magheragall Parish Church pamphlet, 2009).
2. Dean, J. A. K., ‘The gate lodges of Ulster: A gazetteer’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1994.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
S. Authenticity
T. Historic Importance
V. Authorship
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Part of walled garden and gates associated with the Brookhill Demesne (main house demolished); part of large group of various historic garden structures including walled garden, pleasure garden, outbuildings, and tower (HB19/03/064B-C) most of which date from 1830 to 1870, although some elements could have 17th century origin. The structures are of significant historic interest as a collective group of surviving structures from the development of Brookhill Demesne, over a period of three centuries.

General comments

Listing criteria R, S & T also apply.

FILE PA'd 16/04/15