Mountain View House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A pair of three-bay two-storey houses, now one, built c.1830 and located in a rural
setting east of Sandy Lane, Drumbeg. Rectangular on plan with two two-storey returns and conservatory to rear; large L-shaped modern extension to northeast.

Pitched natural slate roof with terracotta ridge tiles and yellow brick chimneystacks. Cast-iron ogee rainwater goods on overhanging eaves with exposed rafter tails. Corbelled bargeboards to gables. Walling is painted smooth render with raised quoins and chamfered plinth. Windows are 2/2 timber-framed sliding sash having horizontal glazing bars and horns with projecting masonry sills.

The principal elevation faces northwest and is six openings wide, comprising symmetrically arranged facades of the two original houses. To centre left and centre right are two entrances; left door is four-panelled with decorative brass furniture, right door is two-panelled with segmental-headed glazing to top half; both having transom light and flanked by two panelled pilasters surmounted by plain entablature and moulded cornice.

The northeast gable is abutted by the single-storey modern extension (of little interest).

The southwest elevation is abutted at left and right by two two-storey returns which are connected by a modern conservatory to centre. To centre is a projecting chimneystack with a window at left and right; windows at ground and first floor to far left; to far right is a window to first floor and a four-panelled timber door with transom light and brass door furniture. The returns each have two windows at first floor and a window to ground floor right on the southwest elevation (right return with two windows and door at left). The left return has a modern door at right to the northwest elevation.

The southwest gable is blank.

Setting:
Situated in large mature grounds off a narrow country lane on the outskirts of Lisburn. To northeast is an asphalt tennis court; to south is a detached block of garages. Enclosed to all sides by mature trees and hedgerow. Bounded to road to north by hedgerow with timber fence; two painted render gate piers with masonry caps supporting modern timber-sheeted gate. Main entrance to north having painted render entrance walls and gate piers with pointed caps supporting modern cast-iron gates; entrance to long gravelled driveway leading to rear of house.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Smooth render
Windows: Timber-framed sash with horns/replacement timber-framed sash
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

Mountain View House began as a pair of two-storey houses, now converted into a single dwelling. This property first appears on the first edition Ordnance Survey map for the townland of Ballyskeagh (1834) which depicts a single structure along the current Sandy Lane. There appears to have been little change to the site between 1834 and the second edition of the maps (1858) which also depict a single oblong building. The contemporary Griffith’s Valuation of 1861 tells us that the site was valued at £1 10s; the two houses must have been converted into a single dwelling by this time as a Mr. Richard Hayden is recorded as the sole resident of the site.

Very little is known of the occupational history of the site after 1861; the 1912 Ulster Covenant records that a Richard Hayden resided in the Parish of Lambeg, although it notes his address was at Hilden View. The will of Ms. Sarah Hayden, a Spinster from Ballyskeagh townland, tells us that she died in 1890 leaving effects of £20 to a Ms. Isabella Hayden; however any connection between these sources and the history of Mountain View House cannot be verified (Ulster Covenant Archive; PRONI Wills Catalogue – 14 November 1890). What is clear is that the house was no longer occupied by a member of the Hayden family by 1901 as no one of the name Hayden is recorded for the townland of Ballyskeagh in either the 1901 or 1911 Census.

The third edition of the Ordnance Survey map (1901-02) shows that an oblong outbuilding had been built to the north-east of the house, which was first recorded as ‘Mountain View’ at that time. The map also shows that two further outbuildings were constructed to the south of the house, however these had been taken down by 1960 (Ordnance Survey map 165-3). There was little change to the site between the third and fourth edition of the Ordnance Survey maps (1919-20) and the current map of 1960, aside from the demolition of the southerly outbuildings; however since 1960 the north-eastern outbuilding has been taken down and replaced with the current single-storey extension which now adjoins the north-east gable of the house. Mountain View House continues to be occupied and in recent years has been used as a dwelling and also as a retail gallery for an art and decoration business operated by the current owners.

References
Primary Sources
1. PRONI OS/6/3/9/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey map 1834
2. PRONI OS/6/3/9/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey map 1858
3. PRONI OS/6/3/9/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey map 1901-02
4. PRONI OS/6/3/9/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey map 1920-21
5. PRONI VAL/2/B/3/30 – Griffith’s Valuation 1861
6. PRONI Ulster Covenant Archive 1912
7. PRONI Wills Catalogue (1890)
8. Census of Ireland 1901 / 1911
9. Ordnance Survey map 165-3 (1960)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A pair of three-bay two-storey symmetrical houses, now one, built c.1830 and located in an unspoiled rural setting east of Sandy Lane, Drumbeg. The principal elevation retains the original proportions of each of the dwellings, maintaining an early appearance with some of the original fabric intact. Alterations to the rear include a modern extension and conservatory resulting from the incorporation of the two into a single dwelling. Internal finishes and external landscaping are largely modern. Originally an interesting semi-detached Georgian house, the building has lost significant character as the result of numerous alterations and is not considered suitable for listing.

General comments

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