Glen House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A double-pile two-storey nine-bay dwelling, with origins predating 1830. Oblong plan form with various single and two-storey projected bays, and a subservient two-storey block on the north-west gable. Located west off Main Street, east to Crawfordsburn Village Centre.

Pitched natural slate roof with clay ridge tiles; tall rough cast rendered chimney stacks with black painted caps and various clay pots. uPVC replacement rainwater goods. Rough-cast rendered walling with blank painted plinth. 2/2 (vertical glazing bars) and 1/1 timber sliding box sash; rectangular masonry cills. Timber panelled segmental-arched door with glazed upper panels and brass ironmongery; pitched timber canopy support on plain brackets over.

The principal elevation faces west and is asymmetrically arranged. The six bays to the right comprise a two-storey hipped projected bay right of centre with the front entrance located on the ground floor with a single first floor window over; three uniformly arranged ground and first floor windows to the left; flat roofed single-storey bowed-projecting bay with fixed/casement windows, to the right with two first floor windows over. The three bays to the right is abutted by a large single-storey conservatory at ground floor level with a single window to the left and three uniformly arranged first floor windows over.

The left gable is abutted by an asymmetrical two-storey subservient block with two-storey return. The west face comprises a secondary entrance with slightly project bay to the right and wall-headed dormer window. The north gable comprises three ground floor and two first floor windows; incorporating a single ground floor window to the west face of the rear return. The gabled east face of the return comprises a door with window to the right and a single first floor window.

The rear elevation is asymmetrically arranged. Two-storey canted bay to the far left with margin-paned glazing to all faces. To the right is a round-arched landing window. Seven ground and first floor windows to the right.

The right double-pile gable is asymmetrically arranged; abutted at ground floor right by a single-storey flat-roofed conservatory with two first floor windows over. The left gable has single ground and first floor windows.

Setting

Situated in its own grounds; access via a modern gate fixed to white rendered piers; abutted by a perimeter rubble masonry wall; gravel driveway leading to the front door and continuing to the rear of the house. Large gardens with outbuildings and greenhouse (possibly part of a former walled garden) to the east with converted outbuildings to the north.

Roofing: Natural slate
Walling: Rough-cast render
Windows: Timber
RWG: uPVC replacement

Historical information

The house is shown, uncaptioned on the first edition OS map of 1833 occupying substantially the same plan form as today, and shown with two further ranges to the north, one of which appears to have survived. It is thought by Patton to date from c1820. (Patton, p.61) The house and outbuildings formed part of the Crawfordsburn estate and occupy a spacious site on the outskirts of Crawfordsburn village, an area that has remained relatively undeveloped until recent times.

On the second edition OS map of 1858, the house is captioned ‘Glen Cottage’ and one of the northerly ranges has now gone. Griffith’s Valuation lists the occupier as William Sharman Crawford, who leases the property from John Sharman Crawford of Crawfordsburn House. William may have been a brother or nephew of John. (Howard and Crisp, p.21-4) The house is valued at £16 but by its first appearance in the Annual Revisions, this has increased to £43 and then £55 indicating major improvements or additions to the property between c1860 and c1870. The 1901 OS map shows that the building’s increase in stature has been reflected in a change of name and it is now captioned, ‘Glen House’. The remaining outbuilding to the north, a stable block and coachman’s house bears the date 1868 and was evidently also remodelled at this time. Arthur S Crawford, younger brother of John, became the occupier in 1870 and is also noted to be the occupier of Glendore House to the east (HB23/15/10). In 1873 the valuation was further increased to £60, as the result of additions or improvements and in the same year Arthur Sharman Crawford removed to Ballymenoch, auctioning off the contents of the then Glen Cottage together with those of Glendore. (Annual Revisions; Belfast Newsletter)

In the closing decades of the nineteenth century the house appears to have been let to a succession of wealthy tenants. In 1873 David Ker, DL, JP and former MP for county Down and Downpatrick died at the house which was then the residence of his daughter Mrs J Perceval Maxwell of the prominent county Down family. (Freeman’s Journal and Daily Commercial Advertiser)

In 1883 the occupier became William A Moreland, but in 1897 the house was advertised to let and described as ‘within easy distance of Helen’s Bay Station. It has good Stabling and Coachhouse accommodation, and there is a large walled-in Garden, with fine Vineries and Hothouses.’ (Belfast Newsletter) By 1900 the house was occupied by James Craig, a linen manufacturer from the firm McCrum, Watson & Mercer Ltd of Linenhall Street, Belfast. (Belfast and Ulster Directory) At the time of the 1901 census he was resident in the house with his English cook. James Craig died in 1903 in New York at the age of 43, leaving his wife a considerable sum of money. (1901 census; Will of James Craig)

Annual Revisions show that the house was then taken over by Robert W Lindsay who was in the drapery trade, and his family, a wife and young son. The 1911 census indicates that also resident, most likely in the service block to the north, were a staff of four, a coachman, parlourmaid, housemaid and cook. The Lindsay family remained in the house until at least 1923. (Annual Revisions; 1911 census)

Patton indicates that the main house and coachman’s quarters are now separately occupied, the coachman’s house now bearing the name, ‘Glen Cottage’. (Patton, p.61)

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/3/2/1 – First Edition OS Map 1833
2. PRONI OS/6/3/2/2 – Second Edition OS map 1858
3. PRONI OS/6/3/2/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1901
4. PRONI OS/6/3/2/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1919-26
5. PRONI OS/6/3/2/5 – Fifth Edition OS Map 1939
6. PRONI VAL/12/B/23/7A-K – Annual Revisions (1866-99)
7. PRONI VAL/12/B/23/8A-C – Annual Revisions (1894-1923)
8. Griffith’s Valuation online
9. PRONI Will of James Craig, died 24/4/1903
10. Belfast and Ulster Street Directory 1908
11. 1901 census online
12. 1911 census online
13. Belfast Newsletter, 10th May 1873
14. Freeman’s Journal and Daily Commercial Advertise, 21st October 1878
15. Belfast Newsletter, 31st October, 1897

Secondary Sources

1. Howard, JJ and Crisp, FA “Visitation of Ireland” (date and publisher unknown)
2. Patton, M, “Bangor, An Historical Gazetteer” Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1999

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A double-pile two-storey nine-bay dwelling, with origins predating 1830. The house has evolved significantly over time with the addition and removal of adjoining outbuildings. Subsequently this makes it difficult to determine its earliest form; however, the current exterior to the main portion of the house has generally retained the early Georgian characteristics and proportions. Although several inappropriate additions have compromised it appearance, its historic character survives. It is of interest as a former residence, and probably built for William S. Crawford, whose family were the principal landowners of the area and a relatively early survival in the area.

General comments

In Crawfordsburn Area of Village Character
Please note thi srecord has been renumbered it was previously recorded as HB23/15/012