Innisfail

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

An asymmetrical two-storey with attic, three-bay detached late Victorian dwelling built c.1890. Rectangular plan-form with single storey abutments to the rear. Located directly of Church Road north of Helens Bay Square adjacent to the Presbyterian Church (HB23/15/041).

Pitched/hipped natural slate roof with clay ridge/hip tiles and clay finials. Cast-iron ogee moulded gutters and circular downpipes. Rendered chimney with cornice and terracotta pots over. Timber barge and fascia boards; timber soffits. Ruled-and-lined rendered walling with stucco quoins, string and cill courses. Square-headed timber sliding sash with horns to ground floor; label mould and drip course over; diminished multi paned upper sash; single pane to lower sash. Segmental arched windows to first floor level with hood moulding and stops over; diminished multi paned upper sash; single pane to lower sash. Four panelled bolection-moulded timber door with glazed upper panels; fixed light over.

The principal elevation faces west and is asymmetrically arranged. Hipped roof over projecting left and central bays. Left bay has two-storey canted bay with window to each face on each floor; main entrance located at ground floor central bay with single window to the left all surmounted by a glazed canopy on timber brackets and single first floor window over. Slightly recessed right hand bay comprises matching two-storey canted bay.

The left (north) elevation comprises three asymmetrically arranged irregular window openings to ground and first floor; label moulds over ground floor and stair half landing windows.

The rear (east) elevation is asymmetrically arranged two-storey to the left rising to slightly projecting 2 ½-storey gable to right. Left bay is blank with projecting chimney stack rising to eaves (removed above eaves level) and abutting lean-to green house. Right gable bay comprises single storey lean-to to left with projecting chimney stack above; single storey lean-to to right with window above; window at ground floor between lean-tos with narrow window above; window centred on gable at attic level.

Two single-storey lean-to abutments at ground floor comprising various outbuildings, green houses and an adjoining timber garage.

The right (south) gable is asymmetrically arranged; projecting chimney stack located left of centre breaking through eaves. Single ground and first floor windows to far left. Single-storey canted bay with multi-paned glazed timber door to the right with a single window over.

Setting
The house is surrounded by well maintain gardens access by a decorative wrought-iron gate fixed to concrete piers. The house is secluded with views largely obscured by hedges lining the perimeter. Small yard to rear enclosed by out-buildings and a tall wall with green house beyond to east and timber garage to north. The general
setting is predominantly sub-urban; similarly sized two-storey detached houses.

Roofing: Natural slate
Walling: Stucco rendered
Windows: Timber
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

The house first appears on the third edition OS map of 1900-02, as one of a handful of villas in the newly-established settlement of Helen’s Bay. The house was built in the 1890s according to the current owners. Helen’s Bay itself was largely a creation of the 1st Marquess of Dufferin who began to encourage building in the area towards the end of the nineteenth century. Garner notes that a group of six houses were the first to be built in the area in about 1898, the builder being Mr Kerr who had also built Helen’s Bay Presbyterian Church (HB23/14/041). It is possible that the current house was among these first six buildings. (Garner, p.4-6)

The current owners recall that the house has been a doctor’s residence for some years, beginning with a Doctor Lennon in the 1930s, who was followed by a Dr Northey. During the war the house served as a Sergeants’ Mess for the RAMC (Royal Army Medical Corps). Latterly the Blair family have occupied the house, which also housed Dr Blair’s surgery. (Owner information)

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/3/1/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1900-02
2. PRONI OS/6/3/1/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1919-31
3. PRONI OS/6/3/1/5 – Fifth Edition OS Map 1938-41

Secondary Sources

1. Garner, Margaret A K “A History of Helen’s Bay Presbyterian Church, 1896-1958”
2. Owner information

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A two-storey with attic, three-bay detached late Victorian dwelling, built c.1890 and located directly of Church Road north of Helens Bay Square adjacent to the Presbyterian Church (HB23/15/041). The house was one of the first to be constructed in the newly-established settlement of Helen’s Bay. Helen’s Bay itself was largely a creation of the 1st Marquess of Dufferin who began to encourage building in the area towards the end of the nineteenth century. A well maintained and little altered example of a villa, typical of the style and proportions of this period. Of local and social interest, having previously served as a doctor surgery to the area and as a Sergeants’ Mess for the RAMC (Royal Army Medical Corps) during the war. Although of local interest, it is not among the best examples of the type and does not meet the statutory and policy tests as a building of special architectural or historic interest.

General comments

In Helen's Bay Area of Village Character