Stables and Coach House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Range of detached stone and redbrick estate farm buildings, built between 1830-1900, forming two informal yards to the east of Larchfield House (HB19/06/003A), including a principal block to the south, a centre range and east range to the centre of the composition and a garden house and redbrick range to the north. The east range has been converted for use as a wedding reception venue. A formal walled garden is attached to the west of the stableyard.

Principal Block:
The two-storey principal block to the south is visible from the house and has a projecting block to either end, a single-storey lean-to wing to its rear and a further single-storey west range set perpendicular to the rear. Pitched natural slate roofs, terracotta ridge tiles and plastic guttering on iron brackets with cast-iron downpipes. Central square-plan timber sheeted lantern to the principal block with pyramidal slate roof surmounted by iron weather vane and metal clock face. Further decorative louvred steel lantern rising from the front elevation. Random rubblestone walling with redbrick linings to all openings, lime mortar and sandstone sills. Square-headed openings to the first floor with timber louvres, segmental-headed openings to the ground floor with replacement timber windows and original vertically-sheeted timber doors and half-doors with overlights. The doors to this elevation open onto a cobbled area running along the front elevation. The single-storey west projecting block has a corrugated iron canopy on iron brackets, a brick chimneystack and a pair of segmental-headed carriage openings with original vertically-sheeted double-leaf timber doors. To the west elevation of the west block is a small lean-to (former kennels) opening into a series of cast-iron railed enclosures. The two-storey east block is largely rebuilt c.2008 with a replacement hipped natural slate roof, a lean-to lead-lined structure to the re-entrant angle and replacement 6/6 timber sash windows with concrete sills. The rear of the entire principal block is abutted by a single-storey lean-to rubblestone structure with natural slate roof forming a curved roof to its curved northeast end. A single-storey lean-to structure built against the west redbrick wall of the yard having natural slate roof, plastic guttering, rubble and squared stone walling with louvred timber openings and original vertically-sheeted timber doors.

Centre Range:
Abutting the north end of the west range is a screen wall connected to the two-storey centre range and containing a round-headed brick arched opening giving access to the walled garden with replacement timber gate. The centre range has hipped natural slate roof, terracotta ridge tiles and plastic guttering. Rubblestone walling with redbrick linings to all openings and stone sills. Timber louvres to the first floor and a central loading bay with sheeted timber door. Segmental-headed openings to the ground floor with vertically-sheeted timber doors and brick panels above. The east end has external gable steps to the loft storey with a cast-iron external bell frame with bronze bell and arched niche below.

East Range:
To the east of this yard is a double-height single-storey former outbuilding with former pig-sty attached to its west elevation and a lean-to structure to its east elevation, all abutting the rubblestone boundary wall to the farmyard. Hipped natural slate roofs with black clay ridge tiles and lead hips. Plastic rainwater goods with squared uncoursed stone walling. Three-centred arched carriage openings to north and south ends, formed in moulded redbrick surrounds. The west elevation to the former pig-sty has a horizontal blind recess with sandstone sill and decorative fluted cast-iron colonettes supporting timber carved capitals to the eaves course. The north end is abutted by a further single-storey stone and brick projection, further abutted to the north by a pair of tall stone piers with decorative iron finials and corrugated iron gates.

Garden House:
To the northwest of the north yard is a two-storey garden house, built c.1850, laid on an L-plan, converted to residential use c.1990. Pitched natural slate roof with redbrick chimneystacks, a central wall-head dormer and series of segmental-headed brick carriage arches to the ground floor, now partially infilled with brickwork. Replacement hardwood casement windows and concrete sills and a single-storey entrance porch to the re-entrant angle.

Redbrick Range:
To the northeast of the yard is a single-storey redbrick structure, built c.1900, converted for office use c.2008. Pitched replacement natural slate roof with cast-iron rainwater goods. Redbrick walling laid in English garden wall bond with segmental-headed window openings having double-baked brick hood mouldings with angled keystones, replacement uPVC windows and sandstone sills. Oculus to the gable and square-headed window openings to the east elevation rubblestone wall.

Setting:
Forming part of the Larchfield estate the range of outbuildings lie to the east of the house, roughly on a north-south axis around two informal yards. The principal block to the south forms the main visible elevation visible from the house. Cast iron water pump situated close to the principal block - fluted column with bulbous head complete with lid - handle missing.

Materials
Roof Natural slate
RWG Plastic / Cast-iron
Walling Rubblestone / redbrick
Windows Replacement timber casement / timber louvred

Historical information

The extensive out offices of Larchfield House first appear on the 1834 Ordnance Survey map as a single lengthy oblong building situated to the north-east of the house. The Townland Valuation (c.1830s) tells us that Larchfield estate was owned by a Mr. William Mussenden and records that he owned a very large number of houses and out offices. The Townland Valuation records that the largest of these buildings included two large stables, a coach house, a pigeon house, and poultry house as well as a number of other general farmyard offices. In the 1830s the entire site was valued at £53. 17s.

A large extension (the current principal and eastern block) was added to the east of the length between 1834 and 1859 forming a small courtyard; the second edition of the Ordnance Survey map shows that additional stables and stores (the central range), a large barn (eastern range), and the garden house were constructed by 1859; Griffith’s Valuation increased the value of Larchfield House and its out offices to £100 in 1862 as a result of these additions. The red brick range to the north-east of the farm was constructed between 1901 and 1920 when it was depicted on the fourth edition of the Ordnance Survey maps as an oblong structure; this building was used as an administration building by the manager of the farm. At that time the farmyard was named 'Home Farm' on the 1920 Ordnance Survey map. The most recent addition to the complex is a modern garage situated between the garden house and the centre range; it is unclear when this was constructed, however it appears on the 1970 Ordnance Survey map for the area.

Brett tells us that Larchfield House was built c. 1755 by Daniel Mussenden, a Belfast Merchant and was occupied by his family until his grandson, Captain William Mussenden III, died in 1860 (Brett, p. 117; Rankin, p.31). Both Larchfield house and its out offices were greatly enlarged between 1834 and 1859.

Field research carried out at the site has found that the principal range was formerly used as stables, also containing the coach house which was located in the west block; in c.2008 the two-storey eastern block was largely rebuilt and its roof replaced with slate. Interior features which survive include the original stone floor and cast-iron stable stalls; the coach house is still used to store early vehicles including a replica coach. The principal range which had fallen into a state of disrepair being used primarily as a store, is now (2016) repaired. The central block which was formerly used as a grain store also possesses its original stable stalls. To the north, the garden house dating from c.1850 has since been converted into a private residence (c.1990) and in c.2008 the redbrick former administrative building has been converted into modern offices.

This farm complex was greatly expanded between c.1830 and 1900, a period during which Larchfield house was undergoing similar enlargement. The stable buildings are historically interesting as they retain most of their original features, albeit the primary range is currently in a poor condition.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI D354/1035 – Letter from George Vaughan to William Mussenden 1772.
2. PRONI VAL/1/B/338 A-B – Townland Valuations c. 1830s
3. PRONI VAL/1/A/3/15 – Field Map c. 1830
4. PRONI OS/6/3/15/1 – First Edition OS Map 1834
5. PRONI OS/6/3/15/2 – Second Edition OS Map 1859
6. PRONI OS/6/3/15/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1900-1901
7. PRONI OS/6/3/15/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1919-1920
8. PRONI VAL/2/B/3/35 – Griffith’s Valuation 1862
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/1 A – Annual Revisions 1866-1875
10. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/1 B – Annual Revisions 1876-1885
11. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/1 C – Annual Revisions 1886-1897
12. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/1 D – Annual Revisions 1897-1914
13. PRONI VAL/12/B/20/1 E – Annual Revisions 1915-1929

Secondary Sources

1. Brett, C. E. B., ‘Buildings of North County Down’ Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 2002.
2. Rankin, K., ‘The linen houses of the Lagan Valley’ Belfast: Ulster Historical Foundation, 2002.
3. NIEA File – HB19/06/003.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

Range of detached stone and redbrick estate farm buildings, built between 1840-1900, located to the east of Larchfield House (HB19/06/003A and attached walled garden. Although of varying dates from the nineteenth and early twentieth-century the overall composition is neatly contained within the tall rubblestone walls to the east and west to form an informal pair of yards. Now serving a partly commercial function, the yard has been well preserved with its stone walls and numerous painted cast iron gates adding significantly to the overall character. These outbuildings and walled garden have group value with the other listed buildings on the site - main house and gate screens (HB19.06.003A) and gate lodges (HB19.06.003C & D).

General comments

This record has been re-numbered. Formerly HB19/06/023.