Holestone House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-storey house built of ashlar sandstone with lateral curved full height end bays and a central single storey square main entrance porch. Main entrance porch is on the south side.

South elevation is symmetrical with two windows to each side of a central porch. Walls of ashlar sandstone, with moulded projecting plinth, plain frieze, moulded cornice, and blocking course which rises to a small parapet at the entrance bay; lead dressing to blocking course and parapet; lead spout outlet from concealed gutter to right-hand end of central parapet; hipped roof of Bangor blue slates in regular courses behind blocking course; two chimneys symmetrically placed behind ridge of main front block. Windows are rectangular timber sliding sash, vertically hung, 6 over 6 without horns, to the first floor, and 1 over 1 with horns to the ground floor, all set in chamfered reveals with projecting sandstone cills. Much of the elevation is covered with creeper.
The porch is of ashlar sandstone, similar to the main block, pilastered to all three faces. South face contains a window sashed as previous to ground floor, but set in square reveals, with a rectangular panel over; the west side contains a rectangular timber 6-panel door, later replacement, with a plain rectangular fanlight above, set in square reveals; east side similar but door is original, 6-panel to slightly different design. Two sandstone steps all round porch. Lead dressing to roof, with lead spout outlet from concealed gutter on east side.

West elevation is two-storey and four-bay; hipped roof slated as previous, with two chimneys, smooth cement rendered, with moulded cornice; three original octagonal earthenware pots to each chimney. To the left-hand side, near the rear of the building, rises an octagonal lantern, with slated roofs; sides comprised of elliptically arched timber small pane fixed lights.
Walls as previous to entrance front. Elevation comprises a projecting curved two-storey bay to the right-hand side with one window at each level, with three windows to the left, to the first floor; first floor windows sashed as previous to entrance front, with curved frames to the one in the bay. Ground floor window of bay is of tripartite type with curved frames and curved panes; to the left are two further tripartite windows, with a modern rectangular timber glazed doorscreen in the bay between. Ground floor windows all sashed 1 over 1 with horns as previous to entrance front. Two sandstone steps to modern doorscreen. Later replacement rectangular section cast iron downpipe in angle with curved bay. Most of the elevation is covered with creeper.
Projecting from the extreme left-hand end is a later conservatory of rectangular plan, with monopitch roof of perspex panels; smooth cement rendered walls with modern rectangular glazed and panelled timber doors, and glazing; floor of encaustic tiles, of Victorian appearance. PVC gutter and downpipe.

Rear elevation of house: two-storey; roof hipped in three sections running back from behind front block, slated as previous; one chimney, of glazed yellow brick with plain cornice and two original octagonal earthenware pots.
Wall rendered with wet dash, with smooth rendered platband and slightly projecting smooth rendered plinth; projecting rendered eaves course; ashlar pilaster strips to extremities with short moulded cornice returns from the west and east elevations. PVC gutter and PVC downpipes.
Four regularly disposed rectangular openings to first floor: central two contain windows sashed as previous first floor windows, with smooth rendered reveals and slightly projecting cills; outer two are blind recesses.
Ground floor has two sets of rectangular coupled windows, each light sashed 4 over 2 without horns, with smooth rendered reveals and projecting sandstone cills.
To the left of coupled windows is a narrow rectangular two-pane fixed light with thin red sandstone cill, set in smooth rendered reveals; to the left of that is a projecting porch: hipped slated roof, with tiled ridges; rendered walls dashed as main walling, with one small portion unrendered revealing greystone rubble core; smooth rendered plinth; PVC gutter with PVC downpipe. West face contains a rectangular ledged timber door in wooden frame set in a smooth rendered surround; ironwork latch and handle; north face contains a rectangular timber 9-pane fixed light; east face is blank. To the left of the porch is a rectangular window opening containing a sashed window, originally 6 over 6 without horns which has been altered to accommodate a boiler flue pipe; lower sash raised with a concrete insertion below and a concrete block support for flue built on the cill.

East elevation of house is two-storey of similar general character to west, with 6 windows to each floor to the right of a projecting curved two-storey bay to the left-hand end.
Projecting bay is similar to corresponding one on west elevation, with addition of two PVC soil and waste pipes to right-hand side. Main run of walling has an original cast iron rectangular section downpipe next to bay, an original cast iron soil pipe, and a PVC waste pipe. All windows to right of bay are sashed 6 over 6 without horns, set in square reveals, but two have small side-hung casement insertions, with iron bars behind. Two chimneys, similar to west elevation.

To the rear of the house is a rectangular two-storey outbuilding, the former coach house, with hipped slated roof linked to the rear wall of the house by rubble stone walls to east and west to form an enclosed rear yard.
Yard wall to west contains an elliptically arched gateway with basalt voussoirs and a pair of flat iron double gates. To left of gateway on outer face is a rectangular timber 9-pane fixed light, partly unglazed.
On inner face is a lean-to block with slated roof and whitened rubble walls with a rectangular timber unglazed 6 over 3 sashed window, later shortened, to the left of a rectangular open doorway; concrete lintels, and concrete blockwork to one jamb of doorway.
Yard wall to east contains a rectangular doorway with concrete lintel and ledged timber yard door; on outer face is a rectangular projecting bay with blank end walls and one rectangular opening in the front face which looks like a former doorway partly built up in brick and tiles to the base. Contains a small rubble walled chamber with concrete floor derelict.
Inner face of yard wall has a recessed single pitch slated roof to the projection, with PVC gutter on a timber fascia; PVC downpipe. Rectangular ledged timber door with wooden lintel leads into a small rubble stone chamber which was an outside toilet. Projecting into the yard from the east wall is a low walled concrete block enclosure containing a large oil tank.
Yard elevation of outbuilding to rear: two-storey with hipped slated roof; wall of coursed roughly squared basalt rubble; looks like PVC gutter; five rectangular openings to first floor, all but one blocked with wooden boarding; window to extreme left is a rectangular timber sliding sash, 6 over 6, with horns. Ground floor has one former rectangular window opening now closed with concrete blockwork; one rectangular open doorway, with concrete lintel; and one large elliptically arched doorway containing a pair of arched ledged timber double doors.

End elevation to west has one derelict sashed window, 6 over 3 without horns, with crumbling brick cill; later rendered lean-to garage projecting to west, with corrugated asbestos roof.
North elevation has roughly coursed basalt rubble and fieldstone walling; rectangular window openings, some closed with timber boarding, some retaining timber sashed windows, but derelict.
End elevation to east has two derelict sashed windows set in derelict red brick jambs; PVC gutter and downpipe.

SETTING: The house stands in a very rural area in the middle of its own extensive farmlands. It occupies an elevated site overlooking the main road, with distant views over the countryside to the south. Approached by a tarmac driveway from the west which ends in a tarmac area to the front and to the west of the house; lawns to each side, with mature trees beyond. An original driveway to the east of the house originally led to the main entrance gateway to the south-east but is now closed and gives access to fields only.
Original main entrance gateway to south-east still intact (HB20/06/016), with original gate lodge standing alongside it now remodelled.
Original side gateway to the west now marked by four modern concrete piers with modern iron railings and gates, and original gate lodge there now replaced by a late 20th century house.
Original rear lane to farm buildings to west marked by a two-storey rendered house of no special distinction on site of an original gate lodge.
Farm buildings comprise two-storey greystone gabled and slated blocks which have some replacement timber sashed windows and have ledged timber doors but otherwise show signs of periodic alterations. One block incorporates a white painted rendered house which has modern rectangular timber fixed lights and top-hung vents. Some blocks now lie derelict. A cow byre to the north of the rear lane contains timber Belfast roof trusses covered with corrugated iron. An undressed recumbent stone in the grounds to the south of the house is inscribed "2500 forest trees planted by William Owens on this farm from the year 1791 to the year 1802"; of no decorative interest.

Historical information

Built in 1827 for James Owens JP, DL, to replace a previous smaller house on the site. The property had been owned by the Owens family from at least as early as the 1760s. A stone in the park records that 2500 forest trees were planted there between 1791 and 1802 by William Owens. James Owens was JP and DL for Co Antrim and served as High Sheriff in 1838. The Owens family ceased to own the property in 1919 and it was sold to Captain W.G. Hamilton in 1932. The house takes its name from an unusual antiquity in the form of a standing stone slab with a hole through it, called the 'Hole Stone', which stands some distance to the north of the house.

References – Primary Sources
1. OS Map 1832, Co Antrim 51.
2. Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland, Vol 29: Parishes of County Antrim XI, 1832-3, 1835-9 (Belfast, 1995), pp 138, 150.
Secondary Sources
1. R.M. Young, Belfast and the Province of Ulster (Brighton, 1909), p 230.
2. UAHS, West Antrim (Belfast, 1970), p 20.
3. C.E.B. Brett, Buildings of County Antrim (UAHS, Belfast, 1996), p 96.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

This is a good example of an early 19th century house in the classical tradition, displaying characteristic style, proportions, plan form, and ornamental details. It enjoys a pleasant and unspoiled setting.