Seymour Hill House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Late Georgain house built c.1790; two-storey, five-bay, over basement with attic; rectangular plan form. Situated off the Kingsway just south of Dumurry at the crest of the sweeping Beech Tree Crescent, north of Seymour Hill Housing Estate and east of the now named Seymour Hill Industrial Estate.

A hipped slated roof with two very large rendered chimney stacks, each crowned by seven tall octagonal clay chimney pots. An overhanging eaves soffit with paired moulded console brackets set in front of an ogee moulded cornice. Paired pie-crust dormer windows over the east and west elevation with three modern roof lights over the principal elevation. uPVC ogee gutters, black with extruded metal downpipes painted to match walls. Walling is a rough finished render with evidence of a faded ruled and lined render underneath. Heavily vermiculated quoins, doubled at the front, with a rusticated basement level. Windows single glazed 1/1 timber sliding sash with horns, all replacement with large stone cills and mould stone surrounds with frieze and projecting cornice over. The principal door is six-panelled timber, with a half circle fixed light over, and decorated with moulded stone surrounds.

The principal elevation is south facing and is symmetrically arranged. The front porch is accessed by six paved steps flanked by a pair of naturally finished stone balustrades. The porch, which originally had a front door and side windows, is now an open broken-pedimented portico, embracing a half-circled arch with moulded surrounds, flanked by paired acanthus columns, supporting entablature with swag mouldings fixed to the frieze. Two windows to either side of the entrance with five windows directly above the ground floor openings. The central first floor window has additional decorative stone moulded surrounds, in the form of consoles supporting the cornice and profile scrolling above the cill level.

The east facing elevation is principally symmetrical with paired windows to each floor level with dormer windows projecting from the roof. The chimneystack is centrally located at the apex of the roof.

The north facing rear elevation is symmetrically arranged with the original rear entrance located left of centre. A new opening for an additional entrance is located right of centre. The central bay windows are offset at different levels to function as stairwell lights. There is less detailing to this elevation with no windows surrounds or eaves bracket details.

The west facing elevation is a replica of the east facing elevation.

The approach to the house is set among trees, shrubs and the bleach green located to the southeast. Adjacent to the house there is a small tarmac car park to the front with a road leading around to the back on the left hand side. The original random rubble stables and outbuildings are located just to the north of the house and modern two storey accommodation encompasses the rear elevation. There are views southeast towards the former bleach works with the remaining southerly views over looking housing.

Roofing Slate
Walling Rendered
Windows Single glazed 1/1 sliding sash
RWG Replacement UPVC and extruded metal

Historical information

Built c.1790 by the son of Archibald Johnston, Robert Allen Johnston, who owned the Seymour Hill estate which by 1813 comprised 89 acres and included a bleaching green, mill, yard and a mill dam at the Derriaghy Burn. (Common p.26 - 27)

Seymour was the Marquis of Hertford’s surname, and at the time he owned the four hundred acres of land surrounding the house. (Rankin p.140-149) However the house does not appear captioned as “Seymour Hill House” until the 1858 OS maps.

W Charley bought the estate in 1822 and quickly invested capital to improve the bleach works. Charley had also purchased and remodelled the Dunmurry and Mossvale Bleach Greens two years previously in 1820, and subsequently transferred his business to Seymour Hill. The House itself by this stage was in a ruinous state but by 1825 Charley expended almost £5,000 in remodelling and reconstructing the house having engaged Mr John McHenry, architect. It is thought that much of the detailing found on the building such as the heavily vermiculated double quoins where added as a result of the improvements. (Brett p.99)

The Townland Vaulations 1828-40, valued the house and outbuildings at £62 7s. By 1865, the additional buildings appeared on the Annual Revision 1862-65 Valuations also included a stewards house, a coachmans house and a gate lodge, suggesting that the family’s linen business was developing.

William Charley was chairman of J&W Charley & Co linen merchants, whose high quality work received several commissions from the Royal family. He was also a founding member of the Northern Banking Company. The Charley family continued to occupy Seymour Hill House throughout the 1800’s developing their linen business and bleaching techniques, eventually coming ownership of several bleach greens in the area and credited with introducing the use of chlorine into the bleaching process. (Rankin p.140-149)

The last of the Charley family to occupy Seymour Hill House was Captain Arthur Charley who in 1944 met his death during an accident felling trees in the grounds. Arthur’s brother WRH Charley, desired to pursue an army career rather than stay in the linen industry, which subsequently lead to the Charley business merging with Barbour Linen Thread Ltd and selling of Seymour Hill House and the surrounding grounds to the Northern Ireland Housing Trust. (Brett p.99)

The once extensive kitchens, wine cellars, servants hall, dining rooms, morning rooms, bedrooms and library were converted into six apartments. By this stage the house was losing much of its internal character. Following further vandalising and extensive fire damage in 1986, a local account describes the house as being an empty shell with no roof. The house in 1990 was transferred to the then named BIH housing association, who had WRH Charley OBE open the fully restored house providing six new one person flats. (Rankin p.140-149)

References – Primary sources

1. PRONI VAL/1/B/125 - Townland Valuations 1828-1840
2. PRONI OS/6/1/64/1 – OS Map 1833
3. PRONI OS/6/1/64/2b – OS Map1859
4. PRONI VAL/2/B/1/19A - Griffiths Valuation 1856-1864
5. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/2A - Annual Revisions 1862-65
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/2B - Annual Revisions 1866-1879
7. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/2C - Annual Revisions 1879-1889
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/2D - Annual Revisions 1889-1900
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/2E - Annual Revisions 1901-1912
10. PRONI VAL/12/B/8/2F - Annual Revisions 1913-1922

References – Secondary sources

11. Kathleen Rankin - The linen houses of the lagan Valley: the story of their families: UAHS 2002.
12. CEB Brett – Buildings of County Antrim – UAHS & UHF 1996
13. Robert Common – Some Observations on Dunmurry’s Past - 1999

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
H-. Alterations detracting from building

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

This large two-storey gentleman’s seat built c.1790 is an impressive Georgian building, characterised by style and proportion. Externally the building has had little alteration and has retained almost all of its detailing. Historically this was the home of the Charley family, who were linen merchants, occupying the house for 124 years and whose name was associated with high quality linen products. Internally there is nothing of historical or architectural interest, following major restorative works due to extensive fire damage in 1986. The setting has been degraded by the constructon of modern hpusing unuts close to the house. The interest of the building lies within its imposing presence within its immediate surroundings, demonstrating articulation and richness in its facade composition and detailing.