Rocklands House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Detached symmetrical three-bay two-storey house, built c.1820, renovated c.1995, located to the south side of Belfast Road, Carrickfergus. L-plan with single-storey hipped-roof return to east gable; two-storey return to south, further extended by a single-storey lean-to glazed conservatory to rear.

Roofs are hipped and slated with blue/black clay ridge tiles (leaded to hips); deep overhanging eaves on paired moulded timber brackets (to front and gable elevations only); two smooth rendered corbelled chimney-stacks to party walls, no pots. Rainwater goods are cast-iron with ogee profile gutters; walls are ruled-and-lined rendered with smooth rendered string course and plinth. Windows are square-headed 1/1 timber sliding sashes with horns, all with deep moulded architraves and painted masonry cills; (windows to ground floor on principal facade are surmounted by segmental hoodmoulds.)
Principal elevation faces north with full-height pilaster detail to corners; central principal entrance recessed within segmental-headed opening with keyblock and deep moulded architrave. Two windows to each side; five windows at first floor. Ten-panelled entrance door with original ironmongery flanked by leaded sidelights over fixed timber panels; framed by timber pilasters and central collonettes; dentilled cornice and decorative sunburst fanlight; accessed by three masonry steps, (original surface now faced with concrete.)

Left gable is abutted by single-storey return with hipped roof; exposed section is blank; chimneystack to gable wall at left side.

Rear elevation is abutted by two-storey return to left; exposed section has a single window to each floor.

Right gable is blank. (Two windows at first floor are now blocked.)

South elevation of two-storey return is abutted by fully glazed lean-to conservatory to ground floor (central door and flanking windows remain internally); three windows at first floor. West gable is blank; east gable is abutted by single-storey return.

Single-storey return is smooth rendered but otherwise detailed as main block; east elevation contains central timber entrance door (one stained glass pane over two fixed panels); flanked by two windows at each side. Entrance is accessed by three masonry steps. Left is abutted by wall which contains round-headed arch, giving access to gable entrance and offices in adjacent building (previously an outbuilding associated with Rocklands House.)

Timber conservatory has casement windows throughout; supported on plinth wall and painted masonry cills; original timber panelled doors to each gable. (Central glazed pane with margins over two fixed panels.)

House is now located within an extensive urban housing development with open space between the Belfast Road and house frontage. Adjacent office (previously an outbuilding) located to the north of the House and accessed through round headed arch in boundary wall.

Roof Natural slate
Walling Ruled and lined rendered with smooth rendered string course and plinth.
Windows Windows are square-headed 1/1 timber sliding sashes with horns, all with deep moulded architraves and painted
masonry cills unless otherwise stated.
RWG Cast-iron ogee profile gutters and round downpipes

Historical information

The first edition OS map of 1832 shows a small rectangular building of similar orientation to the current house, captioned ‘Rachinboy’. It has a projection to the south-east side and another building is located to the right. The second edition OS map of 1857 captions the house as ‘Rocklands’.

The Townland Valuation of 1836 records a house and offices occupied by J. Bowie, with the building valued at £18 10s.

The OS memoirs of 1839 detail ‘Rocklands’ as ‘the residence of John Bowie Esquire, Lieutenant R.N and Inspecting Commander of the Coastguards….the house was built 12 years ago by Alexander Wilton, architect, who resided in it, but only occupied by Lieutenant Bowie since 1836, who purchased it, 2 acres of ornamental ground attached’.

Griffith’s Valuation of 1859 lists a house, office and land, occupied by Jane & Penelope [Kidley?] from Captain J. Bowie. The building is initially valued at £30, then revised to £38.10s (date not given), which suggests that additions were made to the property in the mid nineteenth century. Valuation Revisions from the early 1860’s list the occupiers as Jane & Penelope [Kittly?]. The valuation has been reduced to £21, further revised at a later date to £24.

The building does not appear in its current form until the third edition OS map of 1902. The Valuation Revision of 1914-1918 records the occupier as the Rev. Alex Cuthbert. The building is valued at £38 10.

The current owner asserts that Rocklands was purchased by the North Street Presbyterian Church in 1906 for a Manse, and was dwelling of the Rev. Alexander Cuthbert from 1909 until 1940. ‘Rocklands’ was obtained in 1982 by Methodist Housing Association

References

Primary Sources:
1. PRONI OS/6/1/52/1 - First Edition OS Map (1832)
2. PRONI OS/6/1/52/3 - Third Edition OS Map (1902)
3. PRONI OS/6/1/52/2 - Second Edition OS Map (1857)
4. PRONI VAL/1/A/52A - Townland Valuation Map (1836)
5. PRONI VAL/1/B/187 - Townland Valuation Fieldbook (1836)
6. PRONI VAL/2/A/1/52A - Griffiths Valuation Map (1857)
7. PRONI VAL/2/B/22A - Griffiths Valuation Fieldbook (1859)
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/7/5A-F -Valuation Revisions (1861-1894)
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/7/6A-D- Valuation Revisions (1894-1929)

Secondary Sources:
1. Information from current owner (December, 2008).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Detached symmetrical three-bay two-storey house, built c.1820, renovated c.1994, located to the east side of Belfast Road, Carrickfergus. This house is well detailed and proportioned and has many original features intact, including a largely intact plan layout and internal detailing. Despite slight alterations the house remains a significant building and stands out from the other buildings in the locality as being of special interest.