Beechmount Farm

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A detached three-bay two-storey symmetrical late-Victorian house with outbuildings; built c.1880 and situated on a substantial site south of Plantation Road, Lisburn. Rectangular on plan with a two-storey return and two small two-storey extensions to rear; flat-roof extension and garage abutting the two-storey return.

Pitched natural slate roof with blue/black angled ridge tiles and painted render chimneystacks having terracotta pots. Timber bargeboard to gables (finials have been lost). Cast-iron ogee rainwater goods on corbelled eaves. Walling is painted smooth render on plinth. Windows are segmental-headed 1/1 timber-framed sliding sash with horns and projecting masonry sills.

The principal elevation faces northwest and is symmetrically arranged with two-storey canted bays to either side of entrance bay. Paired windows to first floor above entrance, accessed by four bull-nosed stone steps, comprising; four-panelled timber door with decorative cast-iron door furniture, flanked by side-lights with horizontal glazing bar on a moulded panel; four fluted jambs on plinths with capital heads surmounted by plain entablature and cornice.

The northeast elevation has two diminutive round-headed windows to attic; window to first floor right and left; window to ground floor right and paired windows to ground floor left.

The southeast (rear) elevation is abutted to right by the two-storey return; to centre are two small two-storey extensions (the left is lower); to far left is a window at first floor. The return has a timber-sheeted door to left at attic level and is abutted at ground floor by the flat-roof extension and garage; northeast elevation has two 2/2 wall-head dormer windows to attic and two 2/2 windows to ground and first floor; southwest elevation has two windows to ground and first floor. The right extension contains a round-headed leaded-and-stained glass window to first floor; 2/2 window to ground floor; the extension at left has a replacement window at ground and first floor.

The southwest elevation has two diminutive round-headed windows to attic; windows to first and ground floors at right and left.

To rear is a slated painted rubble stone stable-block and two-storey barn arranged around a yard, enclosed to south by a masonry wall with hedgerow. Barn to east has corbelled eaves, timber bargeboards and dressed quoins. Four windows under eaves to first floor with projecting masonry sills; ground floor openings in segmental-headed brick surrounds; from left is a timber-sheeted door and window, to right of centre is a large square-headed carriage entrance with timber-sheeted doors on a roller; window to far right. North gable has a timber-sheeted door to first floor; south gable has a set of large timber-sheeted doors accessed via a rubble stone ramp.
Stable-block to west is made up of three adjoining blocks with various roof-levels. Those to north are earlier; block to south with elongated openings at attic level under eaves. All with timber-sheeted half-doors.

Setting:

Set on a substantial and mature site overlooking farmland to all sides and accessed via a long tree-lined tarmacadamed driveway. Lawned to front and enclosed by mature hedgerow with wrought-iron farm gate. To entrance are a set of eight masonry steps enclosed by a parapet wall surmounted by cast-iron lamps. To west is a paddock enclosed by high timber fence. Large agricultural sheds to rear of site.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Smooth render
Windows: 1/1 timber-framed sash
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

‘Beechmount’ first appears on the fourth edition of the Ordnance Survey maps for the townland of Largymore (1919-20) where it is depicted as a square shaped building which at that time possessed the south-east facing rear return; the current single-storey stable block, two-storey barn and an additional farmbuilding, situated 100 metres to the south-west of the building, had also been constructed by that time. This mid-Victorian house was likely constructed c. 1880, however the third edition of the Ordnance Survey map (1902-03) could not be examined due to the closure of the public records office; further, the absence of valuation records makes it difficult to chart the occupational history of this site. The wills catalogue held at the Public Record Office tells us that a Mr. Samuel Todd, a retired merchant, occupied Beechmount at the time of his death in 1931 when he left the property to his brother William Todd; William, who died in 1937, left Beechmount to his widow Elizabeth (PRONI Wills Catalogue – 1 June 1931; 6 April 1937).

It is not certain when Samuel Todd came into possession of Beechmount; however Dean tells us that the Todd family converted the single-storey cottage at the entrance to the property into a gate lodge c. 1880 when Beechmount House was first constructed (the Todds originally intended to live in this renovated cottage along the Plantation Road, however it was deemed insufficient to their needs and subsequently was converted into the gate lodge for the larger dwelling which was constructed soon after). Census records tell us that Samuel Todd resided at Beechmount from as early as 1901 when he is recorded as occupant of the 1st class dwelling which possessed 15 rooms and a large number of farm buildings. The 1901 census tells us that Todd was a Presbyterian farmer and pork merchant who lived with his brothers William (52, also a pork merchant), and Robert J. Todd who was employed as a teacher. By 1911 Samuel Todd married and in 1916 he and his wife Elizabeth had a son, Wilbert Thompson Todd. Campbell College’s Register tells us that Wilbert Todd who went on to become a successful engineer and winner the 1953 Circuit of Ireland Motor Trial (Campbell College Register 1894-1954).

There were few changes to the site after the fourth edition of the Ordnance Survey maps in 1919-20, although a single-storey modern garage flat roof extension (abutting the rear return) and four modern agricultural sheds (located to the south-east of the house) were constructed between 1920 and 1967 when the current edition of the Ordnance Survey map was surveyed (165-11). Beechmount House and its associated farmbuildings continue to be occupied and are in a relatively good state of repair.

References
Primary Sources
1. PRONI OS/6/3/14/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey map 1833
2. PRONI OS/6/3/14/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey map 1858
3. PRONI OS/6/3/14/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey map 1919-20
4. PRONI Wills Catalogue (1931; 1937)
5. Census of Ireland 1901 / 1911
6. Ordnance Survey Map – 165-11 (1967)

Secondary Sources
1. Dean, J. A. K., ‘The gate lodges of Ulster: A gazetteer’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1994.

Online Resources
1. Campbell College Register 1894–1954 (Lennon Wylie Website - http://www.lennonwylie.co.uk/index.htm).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A detached three-bay, two-storey symmetrical late-Victorian house, built c.1880 and situated on a large mature site in an unspoiled rural setting, on the outskirts of Lisburn. It has proportions and simple detailing that are typical of the period and apart from a few minor alterations and a garage extension to rear, much of the architectural fabric is intact. The interior is largely unchanged and retains the original floor-plan. The early farm buildings and wrought-iron farm and latch gates on the site add to its interest. As a relatively common type it is not of sufficient interest to consider listing.

General comments

This record was completed without access to original source material held by the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland.