Fairmount

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached three-bay two-storey rendered house, built c.1860, with flat-roofed two-storey projection. Square-on-plan facing east, located on the west side of Old Kilmore Road within Moira Industrial Estate.

E-plan hipped natural slate roof with lower central hipped section, two valleys and black clay ridge tiles. Pair of tall rendered chimneystacks, symmetrically-placed with decorative clay pots. Replacement metal rainwater goods to timber fascia board with paired timber brackets. Pebble-dash rendered walling with rusticated render strip quoins and moulded render plinth course. Square-headed window openings, smooth render surrounds, painted sandstone sills and replacement hardwood sash windows.

Three-bay two-storey symmetrical front elevation with 6/6 hardwood sash windows c.1990 and central three-centred arched door opening having robust moulded surround, containing timber doorcase. Replacement hardwood panelled door with iron furniture flanked by panelled pilasters, pair of Art Nouveau-style leaded sidelights with panels below and further pair of pilasters, all supporting timber lintel and leaded coloured fanlight above. Door opens onto four terrazzo steps with low raking plinth walls to front bitmac area.

South side elevation has a portrait window opening to the right and a small landscape window to the left, both with uPVC windows.

West rear elevation is abutted by flat-roofed projection having two window openings and further abutted by uPVC conservatory. uPVC windows to all window openings with original bowed iron security bars to ground floor windows. Rear entrance opens into conservatory with terrazzo winder steps and rear paved area enclosed by concrete wall.

Two-bay two-storey north side elevation detailed as above with uPVC windows and abutted by rendered wall and pedestrian steel gate.

Concrete paved yard to west is lined with modern single-storey structures and double-height industrial units forming part of Moira Industrial Estate. The front bitmac area to the house extends as a driveway through front lawn, also serving the industrial estate, opening onto the lane via pair of modern steel gates on rendered piers and single-storey reception building.

Roof Natural slate
RWG Replacement metal / cast-iron
Windows Hardwood sash / uPVC
Walling Pebble-dash render

Historical information

Fairmount House, first captioned on the 1903 OS maps, does not appear on the 1958 edition, however it is valued on Griffiths Valuation 1861 which would date the building c.1860. The Victorian architectural style would confirm this.

The dwelling was erected in close proximity to the existing farmhouse Fortwilliam House, occupied by the Hull family and who also occupied the land on which Fairmount was built. It is likely therefore that Fairmount was built for additional family accommodation as it was Thomas Hull who occupied the house until his death in 1874. The property was then passed down to Agnes Hull until 1909 when Thomas Brownrigg MD, a dispensary officer, bought the house outright. The property at this stage was valued by the Annual Revisions at £79.5.0.

The house remained in the Brownrigg family until the R.V.Binders 1933-57 record the owner to be Robert Duke. The house was briefly described in the records as; “Good repair, electric lights from main, hot and cold water from mains, drinking water by pumping.”

The building remains as a dwelling at time of survey 2010.

References – Primary sources

1. PRONI VAL/12B/21/7A – Annual Revisions 1866-78
2. PRONI VAL/12B/21/7B – Annual Revisions 1879-93
3. PRONI VAL/12B/21/7C – Annual Revisions 1894-08
4. PRONI VAL/12B/21/7D – Annual Revisions 1909-20
5. PRONI VAL/12B/21/7E – Annual Revisions 1920-29
6. PRONI VAL/12D/3/13A – Field Map 1863-78
7. PRONI VAL/12D/3/13B – Field Map 1879-05
8. PRONI VAL/12D/3/13D – Field Map 1905-24
9. PRONI OS/6/3/13/1 – OS map 1833
10. PRONI OS/6/3/13/2 – OS map 1858
11. PRONI OS/6/3/13/3 – OS map 1903
12. PRONI OS/6/3/13/4 – OS map 1916
13. PRONI VAL/3/D/4/12E/4 – R.V.Binders Valuation 1933-57

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Detached three-bay two-storey late Victorian house, dating from about 1860. Although the house has lost its original windows, the interior is remarkably intact with a collection of decorative plaster cornices, and an impressive timber staircase. The building retains its residential appearance and good style and proportions, despite having lost its original landscape setting and being situated within a modern industrial estate. The house has group value with the neighbouring Fortwilliam House, (HB19/22/052), also constructed by the Hull family, and makes a contribution to the heritage of the area.