Burleigh Hill

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached symmetrical three-bay two-storey eighteenth century farmhouse; located on an elevated site to the north side of Middle Road, Carrickfergus. Rectangular-on-plan, flanked by lower two-storey wings to either side; single-storey lean-to extension to rear.

Roof is pitched and slated with blue/black clay ridge tiles; smooth rendered corbelled chimney-stacks with tall decorative clay pots to gables. Rainwater goods are cast-iron; walls are roughcast rendered over smooth rendered plinth. Windows are replacement square-headed uPVC casements with extended masonry cills unless otherwise stated.

Principal elevation faces south and contains central entrance door; two windows to right, two to left and five windows at first floor. Entrance door with original cast–iron ironmongery is recessed within round-headed opening with decorative fanlight above; flanked by moulded timber pilasters; accessed by seven masonry steps and enclosed to each side by alcoved roughcast walls with flat smooth rendered coping.

Left gable is abutted by lower two-storey return.

Rear elevation is multi-bay with single-storey lean-to extension to right. All windows are replacement double-glazed 6/6 sliding sashes with exposed boxes unless otherwise stated; exposed section has timber panelled door to ground floor; (six glazed panes over two fixed panels) with transom light above; central round-headed 8/8 window with window above; two windows to each side at first floor; those to right are 1/1 timber casements.

Right gable is abutted by lower two-storey return; exposed section has small six-pane timber casement at attic floor.

Single-storey lean-to extension is roughcast rendered with corrugated metal roof; metal casements to north elevation; right cheek is abutted by ruins of random rubble outbuildings; left cheek has timber sheeted door to right and timber 6/6 sliding sash to left.

West (left) return is detailed as main block; south elevation comprises two 1/1 timber casement windows at ground floor and central timber 6/6 sliding sash window at first floor. West gable contains timber panelled entrance door to left and 1/1 timber casement to right; 6/6 timber sliding sash window to left at first floor; small fixed timber four-pane window to right. Entrance door is accessed by steps (detailed as principal entrance) and abutted to left by roughcast rendered wall enclosing rear of house. Abutted to right corner by roughcast rendered wall (which would have originally enclosed the rear of the property and adjoined the adjacent random-rubble pillars; the wall has been disconnected from the pillar allowing access to the east gable.) North (rear) elevation abuts ruins of random rubble outbuildings (which could not be accessed.)

East (right) return is detailed as main block; south elevation comprises two windows at each floor.
East gable has projecting east side; exposed section contains uPVC replacement door to right; window to left; two uPVC casements at first floor. Abutted to left by rendered wall adjoining random rubble pillar. North (rear) elevation has replacement uPVC door and adjoining windows at ground floor; two uPVC windows at first floor; diminished to right.

House is bound by garden to south and to north by a series of multi-bay one and two-storey outbuildings, (the most notable and well constructed random-rubble outbuilding with pitched slated roof is located to the east of the house and has a pair of random rubble round pillars and cast metal gates abutted to north.) Rear yard is accessed to east of house through random rubble pillars with large random rubble pointed caps and cast metal gates; (matching pillars are also found to the west of the house.) House is accessed by a lane from Middle Road to the south.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Roughcast render
Windows: Replacement uPVC square-headed casements with extended masonry cills unless
otherwise stated.
RWG: Cast-iron half-round gutters and round downpipes

Historical information

The first edition Ordnance Survey map of 1832 shows a building on the site captioned ‘Burleigh Hill’. It is similar in orientation but smaller in size than the current structure, consisting of a group of buildings arranged on quadrangular plan around a central courtyard.

The Townland Valuation of 1836 records ‘Burleigh Hill’ as a house with south and north wing, and basement storey, return, offices and cellar. The occupier is listed as John Robinson Esq. and the property is valued at £46 7s. 4d., later revised £44 10s. (date of revision not given).

Griffith’s Valuation of 1860 records no change in occupancy; the land is held in fee. House, offices and land are listed, and the property is valued at £86, suggesting an enlargement.

Brett suggests that the property was built around 1793 by George Burleigh Esq, who “…was admitted a burgess of Carrickfergus on 12th September 1799…”(Brett, pg 167) He makes reference to an OS Memoir of Carrickfergus dated 1838 (as yet unpublished), which apparently describes the house as “a spacious and modern looking residence two storeys high and having a wing at each side. It is situated in a handsome lawn of about 36 acres. There is a good garden and the offices are of suitable extent”.

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/1/B/187 - Townland Valuation Fieldbook (1836)
5. PRONI VAL/2/B/22A – Griffith’s Valuation Fieldbook (1859)

Secondary Sources:
1. C.E.B. Brett. Buildings of County Antrim. UAHS, 1996.

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

A plainly detailed and well proportioned three-bay two-storey substantial eighteenth century farmhouse, located on an elevated site to the north side of Middle Road, Carrickfergus. The house has many original features intact; including a largely intact plan form and internal detailing. Despite having lost its original windows, the house retains its original setting with traditional farmyard to north and contributes significantly to the rural landscape and architectural heritage of the local area.