Dunore House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two-storey, three-bay gable roofed house, built of horizontally channelled granite, with neo-Egyptian details to the entrance bay. Main entrance faces south.

South elevation is symmetrical: roof of Bangor blue slates in regular courses, between gable upstands; each gable rises to a chimney stack, with an intermediate chimney to the left of a central gabled dormer. Chimneys of channelled rusticated granite, with projecting ashlar bases, and projecting plain cornices.
Walls of horizontally channelled Tardree granite, with projecting angled plinth and stringcourse, plain projecting platband, and projecting angled eaves course with coved granite corbels, returning slightly to each gable; moulded cast iron gutter, returning slightly to each gable.
Windows are rectangular timber, vertically hung sliding sash, 2 over 2, with horns, set in plain reveals. Dormer is of channelled granite, with projecting copings, abutted at each side by weathered buttresses, and surmounted by a truncated granite obelisk; central window in dormer flanked each side by projecting pilasters of tapering form to the base, set on pedestals; dormer cheeks are of lead.

Main entrance is a rectangular timber 6-panel door with original octagonal iron handle, surmounted by a plain rectangular fanlight recessed between sandstone piers faced with pilasters which taper toward the bottom and flare at the base, and carry large sculpted sandstone heads in Egyptian Phaoronic style; flanked by 3-pane sidelights with similar pilasters beyond; carved heads support a deeply projecting cornice with plain panels between them. The two outermost sculpted heads appear to represent Rameses II, and are adorned with Egyptian false beards, and have bird inscriptions on the torso; the two inner heads are beardless, have large earrings, and have more elaborate hieroglyphs on the torso. Three deep steps to front entrance bay, of cement render; painted iron bootscraper on the bottom step at right-hand side.

West elevation is a symmetrical gable, two storeys with attic, with two windows to each upper floor, sashed similar to entrance front; three windows to ground floor, rectangular timber two-light casements, each of three horizontal divisions.
Walling similar to entrance front; square section cast iron gutter to each extremity, with cruciform brackets, look like replacements to original style. Concrete channel forming gutter across base of gable.

Rear elevation is two-storey; roof slated as previous, with one small original flush rooflight; short intermediate chimney to left-hand side, of concrete brickwork, with modern pot. Walling as previous to entrance front; date '1870' inscribed on end of stringcourse within eastern reveal of stair window; gutter as previous to entrance front, returning slightly to each gable. Three circular cast iron soil pipes; PVC downpipes, with cast iron downpipe to left-hand side. Elevation asymmetrical with windows sashed as previous to entrance front, all rectangular except large stair window to first floor which is semi-circular arched. Rectangular timber glazed and flush panelled door surmounted by a plain rectangular fanlight, recessed in plain reveals below stair window. Sunken concrete lined gutter, along base of rear elevation, bridged in places with concrete.

East elevation is a gable of similar character to west, but with four window openings to ground floor plus the addition of a rectangular doorway to right-hand extremity. Door 4-panelled with plain fanlight. Second window opening from left is blocked up with smooth cement render, lined and blocked. Concrete channel gutter along base of gable, bridged by concrete and granite doorstep.
Built immediately in front of gable, to left-hand side, is a square chimney stack of concrete brickwork, with a modern flue pipe; in front of that is a low single storey flat roofed boiler house of smooth cement rendered walls, lined and blocked, connected to gable of house by overhead pipes; small paned metal window; rectangular timber louvred door; flat felted roof.

SETTING: The house stands in a rural area, facing a minor road but set well back from it within its own grounds. Tarmac area to front of house and paths to west side and rear, surrounded by lawns, bordered by mature trees and shrubs.
Front boundary formed by a hedge with a meadow between it and a stream across lawns to front of house. Approach to house is by a rough driveway leading over a twin arched masonry bridge of segmental arches with tall rubble basalt parapet next to house, leading on to a similar boundary wall containing a square piered gateway but gates now missing. Small enclosed concrete yard to east of house, containing single storey brick and basalt rubble outbuildings. Iron 19th century water pump in yard, but not functioning. To east of small yard is a larger yard with a group of rendered farm sheds with corrugated asbestos roofs.

Historical information

Built in 1870 for a member of the McCance family, reputedly a Colonel McCance, presumably John McCance, later Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal North Down Militia, although the first rated occupier was apparently David McCance. From 1920 to 1927 it was the home of Rev Dr Irwin of Killead Presbyterian Church, and during and after the Second World War it was used as the official residence for the commanding officer of Aldergrove military aerodrome.

References – Primary Sources
1. Date of building incised on rear elevation.
2. OS Map 1902, Co Antrim 55.
Secondary Sources
1. UAHS, West Antrim (Belfast, 1970), p 10.
2. C.E.B. Brett, Buildings of County Antrim (UAHS, Belfast, 1996), pp 139, 208.
3. M. Bence-Jones, Burke's Guide to Country Houses, Volume 1: Ireland (London, 1978), p 116.

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

W. Northern Ireland/International Interest
Z. Rarity

Evaluation

This is a mid-Victorian house of distinctive proportions and overall style which has lost some original interior features, but is of special interest due to the unusual neo-Egyptian sculptural and ornamental detailing to the main entrance. Such detailing is of such comparative rarity in British architecture of the 19th century that the interest of this building goes beyond the merely local to the wider national context and may even extend beyond that. Its original rural setting remains largely unspoiled.