Sentry Hill

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Formal, two storey, gabled farm house of 1835-6 with late Victorian and early 20th century additions. To the front there is a two storey gabled porch projection dating from c.1880, whilst, to the rear, there two storey lean-to return which was heightened in the 1920s, as well as a further single storey return of the 1880s. A glazed porch was built around the back door in 1981.

The property is picturesquely located at the head of a long lane on the S side of the Ballycraigy Road, c.1 mile NW of Glengormley. To the NW of the building are an extensive range of outbuildings, and to the S is a large lawn enclosed by mature beech trees. To the SE the original entrance lane is no longer used having been cut across by modern roadworks.

The symmetrical front façade faces S. To the centre is the projecting porch which has a recently added six panel timber entrance door encased with a moulded surround with keystone motif. To the E and W faces of the projection are sash (with horizontal astragal) windows with moulded surrounds similar to the doorway. The first floor of the porch comprises of a sun porch with two large fixed windows each to the W, S, and E faces. The gable apex is finished with timber sheeting and there is a large flood light positioned in the centre. Slight overhang to the verge and a small wooden finial to the apex. The gutter line coincides with that of the main roof. A simple string course divides the ground and first floors.

To either side of the porch are two evenly spaced sash windows to each floor (all as before). The front façade is finished in lined render with in/out quoins.

The E gable merges with the NE, single storey (‘with attic’), lean-to return. To the right of the ground floor (within the original gable) is a sash window with 6 over 6 Georgian panes. To the far right (within the lean-to) is a very small four pane window. To the right (within the original gable) of the first floor are two sash windows, both 6 over 6 as before. To the attic level are two, equally spaced, very small with [?]pivot windows. Between the windows is a large flood light, as before. The roof overhang is supported on the projecting purlins.

The W gable merges with a two storey lean-to return to the left side. The ground floor is blank while the first floor has a 6 over 6 sash window to the left side (within the original gable). To the far left (within the lean-to) is a modern two pane casement window. The attic floor is as the E façade with two small windows either side (close to the eaves), a large flood light, and roof overhang.

The N rear façade comprises of two returns, that to the NE is single storey and extends over c.1/3rd of the face while that to the NW side is two storied, with a shallow pitched roof, and extends over the remaining c.2/3rd. That to the NE is slightly set back and its N face is blank. The return to the NW has a c.1981, flat roofed, single storey glazed porch to the centre with a sash window (with horizontal astragal) either side. To the first floor are two window openings with modern frames. That to the left has a small top opener while that to the right is a two pane casement. A small chimney stack sits to the left of centre on the eaves of the main roof.

The main roof is covered with Bangor Blue slates and the rw goods are mainly cast iron. To the rear of the main roof are three evenly spaced cast iron roof lights. To each gable are chimney stacks with mouldings and three matching decorative pots. The roof covering to the two storey rear return appears to be bituminous felt. The single storey return and the front porch both have slated roofs.

A small farm yard lies to the NW of the house. It is enclosed by a large U shaped stable block on the NW side, a small dairy to the NE houses are finished in unpainted render and still retain some internal fittings such as stalls and mangers. To the immediate NW of the stable block is a small standing stone.

Historical information

Sentry Hill was built in 1835-6 by Thomas McKinney, whose ancestor, Andrew McKinney, acquired land in this area in the 1780s. It replaced a two storey thatched dwelling. The house survived in its original form until the 1880s, when William Fee McKinney added the front porch/sun room and the mouldings to the front windows. In the 1920s a bathroom and extra bedroom were constructed over the kitchen at the rear, and in 1981 the small glazed porch was built around the back door.

Drawing on the extensive records kept by the McKinney family throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, Brian Walker’s ‘Sentry Hill: An Ulster farm and family’ was published in 1981. This book gives a uniquely detailed insight not only into the history of this house itself, but also into the lives of a typical farming family of the period.

The property remained with descendants of the Kinneys until the later 1990s.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI McKinney of Sentry Hill Papers (not catalogued at time of writing).

Secondary sources
1 Brian M. Walker, ‘Sentry Hill: An Ulster farm and family’ (Belfast 1981, reprint 1991)

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

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Formal, two storey, gabled farm house of 1835-6 with late Victorian two storey porch/sun room to front. This property is in many respects a typical strong farmer’s dwelling of the 19th century and has remained largely untouched since the 1920s.