The Old Manse

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A three-bay two storey former manse, built c.1858 and extended c. 1901, off the Bangor Road, Ballyrobert. L-shaped on plan with double gable to west and two storey extension to rear. Single storey outbuilding to north.
Roof is pitched with plain and scalloped natural slates on overhanging eaves; terracotta ridge tiles. Diamond four-cluster rendered chimneystack on rendered stepped plinth with decorative octagonal terracotta pots. Further angled square-plan chimneystacks to rear extension. Cast-iron ogee rainwater goods with cast-iron brackets. Walling is random rubble with sandstone cap to projecting plinth course; east elevation and rear extension is ruled-and-lined render, painted to ground floor. Windows are square-headed 1/1 timber sliding sash with stone sill (unless otherwise stated); recessed with yellow brick Gibbs-style surround and gothic arch.

The principal elevation faces west and has gabled entrance bay abutted by projecting Tudor-Revival porch (added c.1901); diminutive window above gable of porch. To south is a larger gabled bay comprising double window with dividing Doric pilaster to ground floor and a pair of small windows to first floor. The north bay contains a double window with central dividing pilaster; slender window to north wall of projecting gable. Porch entrance to south comprising herringbone sheeted timber door with simple cast-iron hinges and door furniture. Timber sheeted blind windows on projecting sill. To west are three leaded fixed lights; gable with decorative black-and-white detailing and quatrefoils in typical Tudor-revival style; two fixed lights to north wall.
The north elevation is gabled and one window-opening wide; ground floor window 2/2 timber with thick glazing bars and opening on a hinge. Return to east with large modern timber window; abutted by single storey projecting lean-to with cat-slide roof and timber door with cast-iron hinges and lion-head knocker.

East (rear) gable has two openings to first floor and single opening to ground floor. Extension to north is two openings wide at first floor; ground floor has single opening to left and is abutted by the rear lean-to at right. The lean-to has two openings.

The south elevation comprises gabled end to left with overhanging eaves; paired window to first floor. Decorative ovolo-moulded sandstone dressing at corners extending to canted bay at ground floor. To right; paired window and entrance to tool shed through timber door with brick arch surround.
To north there is a small outbuilding; originally a small stable block; having two timber doors with cast-iron hinges and latch with hay loft above to right; to left is a replacement window; west elevation with a large replacement bay window; north and east elevations are blank. Enclosed yard to north accessed via cast iron gates.
To the rear there is a timber single storey shed with window opening and latch door (dating from 1905) abuts rear elevation to the south.

Setting

The house is set in grounds of approximately 2.5 acres, with a wood to the north and a large mature garden to the west. The house is accessed to the south by a long tree-lined tarmacadam driveway. Bounded to road by a rock-faced reconstituted stone wall; the entrance wall is curved having gate piers with pointed concrete caps and a cast-iron gate. Wall to east separates house from surrounding farmland.

Roof: Natural slate
Walling: Random rubble
Windows: Timber
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

The manse is listed in Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64) as a house and land valued at £8.10s and later raised to £13. It is not shown on the OS map of 1858, but work on it appears to have begun late in that year. The occupier is listed as the Rev. John Quartz and the property is leased from Lord Dufferin. Dimensions are given of 13x5½x1½ and there is a return of 9x7x1½. The valuer describes it as a ‘neat cottage’ and there is a sketch of the ground plan in the margin, which at this stage comprises GO2, GO7, GO8 and GO9. A sketch of the manse as it originally appeared is shown in ‘A Light for the Road’. (McConaghy, p.31)

Rev. John Quartz, on succeeding to the congregation at Ballygilbert, initially lived in the former manse, ‘Sarahfield’ (HB23/16/024), but in 1853 the General Assembly of the Presbyterian church decided to set up a centralised church and manse building scheme and Rev. Quartz was active in eliciting contributions towards the scheme. In Autumn of 1858 building began on the manse on land owned by Lord Dufferin. The McConaghy’s state that an architect’s plan ‘was provided through the good offices of Lord Dufferin’ and the architect may therefore have been Benjamin Ferrey who was working for Dufferin at that period. (McConaghy, p.30-1)

In around 1900, on the accession of Rev William Dickson to Ballygilbert, the manse was extensively remodelled and GO3 and the porch GO1 were added. The remodelling appears to have been to designs by Henry Hobart, who also designed the church hall. (McConaghy, p.53)

Successive ministers at Ballygilbert church used the house as their manse until 1973 when the decision was taken to sell the building due to rising maintenance costs and another house was purchased in Helen’s Bay. (McConaghy, p.115-6)

References:

Primary Sources

1.PRONI OS/6/3/1/2 – Second Edition OS map 1858
2.PRONI OS/6/3/1/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1900-02
3.PRONI OS/6/3/1/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1919-31
4.PRONI OS/6/3/1/5 – Fifth Edition OS Map 1938-41
5.PRONI VAL/2/B/3/1 – Griffith’s Valuation Map (1856-64)
6.PRONI VAL/2/B/3/1B – Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
7.PRONI VAL/12/B/23/7A-K – Annual Revisions (1866-99)
8.PRONI VAL/12/B/23/8A-C – Annual Revisions (1894-1923)

Secondary Sources

1.McConaghy, J.W. and E.M. “A Light for the Road, Ballygilbert Presbyterian Church 1841-1991” Belfast: Ballygilbert Presbyterian Church, 1991

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
V. Authorship

Evaluation

A rubble stone three-bay two storey former Manse with Gothic and Tudor-Revival detailing, built c.1858, perhaps to designs by Benjamin Ferrey and later extended c.1901 to designs by Henry Hobart. Built to serve Ballygilbert Presbyterian Church(HB23/15/025A). The setting, yard gate and outbuilding survive and add to its interest. This former manse is a good example of the type and is characterised by good proportions and detailing appropriate to the period and much historic fabric survives.

General comments

Included in Helen's Bay Area of Village Character
Please note this record has been renumbered it was previously recorded as HB23/15/026