Willowdale

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-storey five-bay, rectangular plan form Georgian Farmhouse c. 1750 with two storey return and single storey lean-to to rear. Located south of Dunmurry the site is situated where the Derryaghy River meets the Lagan River. The house is accessed via the Seymour Hill Housing Estate where a tree lined road, located to the west, sweeps around the banks of the River Lagan leading to the farm house. Further west lies the M1 Motorway and north of the site lies the Dunmurry water works and Seymour Hill Industrial Estate.

A pitched roof slated with Bangor blue slates with clay ridge tiles, with chimney stacks crowned with paired clay pots located at the gable ends. Cast iron RWG throughout. The walling is thick stone roughcast rendered, painted white with sandstone plinth, quoins and surrounds painted black. The windows are replacement top-hung timber casement (now boarded up). The front door is a six-panelled replacement timber door with brass ironmongery.

The principal elevation is south facing and is symmetrically arranged. The front door is centrally located and flanked by two large rusticated pilasters rising to cornice level with a moulded half circle fanlight over with a triple keystone. Two windows to either side of the entrance with five windows directly above the ground floor openings.

The east facing gable ended elevation has one small window opening located on the right hand side at first floor level.

The north facing elevation has a subservient two-storey return projecting centrally with lower ridge and eaves levels. To The north elevation of the main house, there is a window opening located at fisrt floor level to the right hand side of the house and a pair of windows both at ground and first levels to the left hand side of the main house. The east facing elevation of the return has a single opening on the right hand side of the ground floor, the west elevation has a more traditionally sized window at first floor level and larger window located at ground floor level. Extending from the return is a single storey lean-to addition with a large horizontal window located at ground floor level.

The west facing gable elevation has no openings and remains as original.

Setting
The farm building sits within its own secluded environment, surrounded by trees and open landscape. To the east outbuildings including former, byres, stables, hayloft etc exist. These are one and two-storey buildings with slate roof and roughcast finish and contribute to the
setting of the house . The long driveway up to the house runs parallel to the River Lagan for about 150m before terminating at a gravelled/soft rubble car turning area. Random rubble walls exist throughout the grounds enclosing the gardens and lining the driveway. The principal elevation faces onto the river and has views of the ruinous former mill and mill race located on the opposite bank.

Materials
Roof: Replacement slate
RWG: Cast Iron / Metal
Walling Stone rubble with roughcast render
Windows: Replacement timber top hung casements

Historical information

Willowdale dates from the mid 18th century within 20 acres of mature trees and farm land with the River Lagan defining its southern boundary.

The first edition OS map from 1833 shows the small T-shaped house with oblong outbuildings to the west, however the farm-house can be dated as early as c.1750 by its early Georgian character and symmetrical composition. The Townland Valuations, dating between 1828 and 1840, identifies the occupant of the house as William James Lucin. According to the OS memoirs in 1837, it is noted that “Laganvale” the house of William Lewson Esq was situated on the banks of the Lagan, about 2 ½ miles from Lisburn. Although the surname is spelt differently, the pronoucation would be similar and the geographical location would suggest that Willowdale was once called Laganvale.

The land owner at the time was the Marquis of Hertford, who owned some 400 acres of the surrounding area. The Lucin family remained in the house until 1861 when John Burrows took up the tenancy. The farm plus sheds and outbuildings at this stage were valued at £20 plus another £40 for the surrounding land.

The Burrows family, remained tenants of the farm for the next c.50 years and despite the house itself being left unoccupied from 1879 to 1889, the Burrows continued to pay the rent for the land.

By 1889 the value of the house had dropped to £15 although was now occupied by George Wm. Burrows who owned the buildings outright by 1893. The value continued to drop and by the time Mary Burrows occupied the house, the Annual Revisions in 1905 were noting: “Buildings very old and partly dilapidated.” The Burrows occupation of the farm ended with the drowning of Mr Burrows in the Lagan c.1925. (Brett p.99) It has been reputed that the Charley family of neighbouring Seymour Hill House once occupied the building, however no clear evidence has been found to support this.

The Annual Revision records show that the Brown family occupied the premises after the Burrows and subsequently the Grahams from 1939-1952 until the Taylors from 1952-1999. The building is currently undergoing restorative work at the time of survey (2010).

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. Rankin, K "The linen houses of the lagan Valley: the story of their families" UAHS 2002.
12. Brett, CEB "Buildings of County Antrim" UAHS & UHF 1996

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

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

Evaluation

This secluded two-storey Georgian farm house built c.1750 is an good example of a well proportioned and modestly scaled farmhouse that still retains much of its architectural character . Historically, the farmhouse was owned by the Charley family of Seymour Hill House, who were linen merchants in the Dunmurry area, primarily during the 19th century. Architectural fabric and Georgian detailing are largely intact. Although the interior has been modified, the layout and features of interest have largely remained unaltered. The farmhouse, its setting of associated outbuildings, landscape and gardens whose essential character have remained relatively unaltered, is a scare example of a Georgian farmhouse. It is of significant historic and architectural interest.