Farmhill

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached three-bay two-storey house in Classical style, built c.1850, located to the west side of Woodburn Road. Rectangular-on-plan with two-storey return to north-west abutted by two-storey outbuilding; extension to south-west.

Roof is hipped natural slate with deep overhanging eaves; timber bargeboards; rendered chimneys with replacement clay pots. Walls are smooth rendered over projecting plinth with ogee plinth-course; raised pilasters to corners. Windows are square-headed replacement uPVC casements; painted masonry sills.

Principal elevation faces east; at left, projecting bay contains square-headed nine-panelled timber entrance door with bronze furniture flanked at left and right by Tuscan columns supporting simple entablature; single window at first floor with continuous sill course; central bay contains single window at each floor; right bay abutted by projecting bay containing two windows at each floor; single window at each floor to north and south; continuous sill courses. Abutted at right by rendered walling to enclosed yard.

South elevation contains three windows at ground floor in smooth banded architraves; recessed aproning below sills; three windows at first floor; continuous sill course. Abutted at left by wall containing vertically sheeted timber door to enclosed yard; further abutted by outbuilding.
West elevation is abutted at left by return and at right by extension consisting of roughcast walling at ground floor and modern uPVC sunroom at first floor; accessed by external steel spiral staircase.

North gable contains single window at each floor right; abutted at right by return.

Return
South elevation of return abutted at right by extension; exposed section contains at ground floor left, timber framed 2/2 sliding sash window flanked at right by uPVC casement window; two square-headed replacement uPVC entrance doors at right; four windows at first floor. North elevation contains at ground floor, two windows at centre flanked at left and right by replacement doors; five windows at first floor.

Outbuilding to west
Roof is pitched and natural slated. East elevation abutted at centre by return. Exposed wall at left contains two timber-framed windows at ground floor flanked at right by entrance (now blocked); single uPVC window at first floor right; exposed wall at right contains three windows at ground floor left flanked at right by uPVC glazed entrance door and further window; four windows at first floor. South elevation contains replacement uPVC glazed door at ground floor surmounted by window at first floor; abutted at right by wall to enclosed yard; abutted at left by rubble walling. West elevation abutted on right by single-storey mono-pitched outbuilding; abutted at centre by two-storey stairwell. Exposed wall at left contains window within Tudor-arch-headed recess at ground floor left; two windows at right; single window at first floor right. Exposed wall at right contains four windows at ground floor; two windows and timber sheeted door at first floor. Abutted at left by rubble boundary wall.

Set within extensive private gardens and farmland; enclosed yard to south-west and larger yard to north containing lean-to farm building. Bound to north by rubble walling and to west by brick and rubble walling. Bound to Woodburn Road by timber fence; access through double octagonal rendered piers with finial coping connected by fretted timber screens.

Roof Natural slate
Walling Smooth rendered
Windows Square-headed uPVC casements; shared painted masonry sills
RWG Cast-iron ogee gutters with round downpipes

Historical information

According to Brett, the original house dates to c.1795 (p. 122). It appears that this house was enlarged and remodelled or replaced to more closely resemble its current form, between the 1832 and 1857 OS maps. The 1836 Valuation describes ‘old house, and new house’, together valued at £18.16.9 in 1836. The value has increased by 1859. Griffith’s Valuation records ‘Farmhill’ as a ‘house, offices and plantation’ occupied by Stewart Dunne and valued at £30. Outbuildings are valued separately at £0.15.s and £0.10.s.

The earlier house is described in the OS Memoirs as the residence of Stewart Dunne Esquire, “pleasantly situated on the Woodburn Road. It is a small but neat residence situated in a lawn of about 6 acres which is thickly planted” and “Farm Hill is of the cottage form...part of it is a 2-storey house and part 1-storey. It was built about 45 years ago by the Rev. John Savage, a Presbyterian minister. Ten years ago the present proprietor Stewart Dunne purchased it” (p. 56).

Valuation Revisions from 1894 record the occupier as John Jellie, with the lessor listed as Elizabeth Dunne. The building valuation is £32 and a smaller property on the site is detailed as a ‘house and office, occupied by William Simms and valued at £1.5s.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/1/52/1 - First Edition OS Map (1832)
2. PRONI OS/6/1/52/2 - Second Edition OS Map (1857)
3. PRONI OS/6/1/52/3 - Third Edition OS Map (1901-2)
4. PRONI VAL/2/B/1/22 - Griffith’s Valuation (1859)
5. PRONI VAL/2/A/1/57 - Griffith’s Valuation Map (1857)
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/7/6A-D -Valuation Revisions (1894-1929)
7. Boyle, J. OS Memoirs, Parishes of Co. Antrim XIV, Vol 37 (1832, 1839-40)

Secondary Sources

1. Brett, C[harles] E. B. “Buildings of County Antrim.” Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1996.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A detached three-bay two-storey house in Classical style, built c.1800, located to the west side of Woodburn Road. This plainly detailed house, somewhat masculine in character, retains some original plasterwork features. The replacement of the original windows has degraded the building's character. The surrounding complex of outbuildings is still in use. The house has an attractive rural setting, accessed through an ornate gatescreen, and is of local interest.