Ardreagh

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

An attached two-storey three-bay former servant's accommodation wing, attached to Ardville (HB23/18/040B) and forming part of the Windrush (HB23/18/040A) group. The house is rectangular on plan with recessed ground floor corner to north end of west elevation, cantilevered out to first floor on steel I-beams adjoined to the former coach house of Windrush.

Pitched natural slate roof with roll-topped leaded ridge. Two rendered chimneystacks with moulded caps and terracotta pots. Half round cast-iron rainwater goods over corbel course. Walling is painted rendered. Windows are 2/2 (horizontally divided) timber sashes to west; uPVC enlargements of various sizes to east. Projecting masonry sills.

Garden elevation faces east and is abutted by a timber framed conservatory on rendered plinth walls. Irregular fenestration, all replacement, some enlargements. To left end, the wall projects slightly and is topped by a small parapet with chimneystack.

South gable is abutted by a twentieth-century flat-lead-roofed projection at first floor, and yard building to HB23/18/040B at ground floor.

West (entrance) elevation is five windows wide to first floor (that to left side over ground floor recess), four to ground floor including a multi-pane glazed timber entrance door.

Setting

The house occupies a restricted site with north gable directly to Farmhill Road, from where the building is now accessed via a narrow flagged pathway bounded by the house to left and the hedge boundary of Windrush (HB23/18/040A) to right. The cantilevered corner facilitates access to this path via a small winding set of curved steps. To south is a large mature garden enclosed by a stone boundary wall.

Roof: Pitched natural slate
Walling: Rendered
Windows: 2/2 timber sashes, uPVC replacements
RWG: Cast-iron

Historical information

This house is one of three dwellings that together make up what was once a single house known as ‘Ardville', parts of which date from c.1830. The section now known as 'Ardreagh', was first built as a laundry and servants' quarters during the remodelling of the house which took place c.1850.

According to Brett, evidence from deeds and documents shows that the land was bought in 1830 by Rev Henry Wallace along with the obligation to build one or more houses on it within three years at a cost of at least £300. (Brett, p.107)

A rectangular building with return is shown on the site in 1834 but this building has clearly been significantly remodelled by the time of the second edition (1858) which shows the house captioned ‘Ardville’. This earlier house is listed in the Townland Valuation (1828-40) as the property of Mr McCammond, a house and offices valued at £18.16s.

Brett states that the main house was occupied in 1849 by Theodore Bozi, a linen merchant who was also consul for Spain and Portugal. It appears that the remodelling of the house took place c.1850, either by Bozi or his successor James Lemon. (Brett, p.107-8)

By the time of Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64), James Lemon, a ship-owner, ship’s chandler and owner of a rope and canvas manufactory in Belfast, was in residence. He leased the property from the representatives of Robert Kennedy in chancery and it is described as a ‘house, gate lodge, offices and land valued at £110. The valuer comments, ‘all is lawn and gardens...gardens enclosed and high brick walls...large sheet glass windows all through property, front with pillars and pilasters, very elegantly finished house...a very fine house in excellent repair’. Dimensions for the house and several outbuildings are given, including a coal hole, water closet, coachhouse, byre, stable, greenhouse, melon pits, sunken sheds and a gate lodge. (Brett, p.107)

James Barbour bought the house in 1871 for £2,637. He was an engineer and iron-founder of the firm of Combe, Barbour & Combe who ran the Falls Foundry in North Howard Street. During his time at Ardville, the gate lodge was raised a storey (1894), the coach house was improved and a small addition was made to the house itself (1895). Thomas Barbour, the American herpetologist and a relative of James Barbour, published a book of letters in which his wife describes their visit to the house in 1906, “In the afternoon we took an auto and went to Ardville, James Barbour’s place...Their house is very large and their place great...We had afternoon tea with them and then old Mr Barbour took me around the place and all through his greenhouses and gave me a huge basketful of the most delicious hothouse grapes I ever ate.” (Barbour and Barbour, p.20)

By 1914 William McMullan is in residence and several improvements are subsequently made including the addition of a chauffeur’s house to the plot and an extension to the gate lodge in 1921. Valuer’s notes from this period state that McMullan bought the house for £3,600 and has expended “about £4,000 in electric lighting, improving heating &c. Papering, painting etc are said to have taken £1200 to £1400...New bath, lavatory basins to 4 bedrooms”. A plan and dimensions are given and all the rooms in the house are listed. Outbuildings are also shown:- a fowl house, dynamo, gas engine for light and pump, greenhouse, vinery, conservatory and potting shed, together with a small house and dry closet which may have been the chauffeur’s house.

After 1933 the property was for sale and the accommodation was listed as follows: “Hall, breakfast room, pantry, drawing, dining, butler’s pantry, kitchen and scullery (combined), china and glass room, dairy, smoke room (panelled), wine cellar, cloak room.1st floor: 5 principal beds (with lavatory basins) 2 other beds, 5 maids’ beds, 2 bathrooms, dressing/linen, 3 WCs, boxroom, 2 store rooms over garage.” A plan and dimensions are given showing an aviary. The chauffeur’s house with 4 bedrooms and a kitchen in the grounds is also listed, separately.

In 1936, after being empty for several years, it was sold to Geoffrey Garrod of 32 Deramore Park, Belfast for £500 and the valuation lowered to £138. Garrod was the headmaster of Royal Belfast Academical Institution. The Garrods were faced with heavy renovation bills, including new wiring, work to the roof and a further bathroom. They are noted to have had a staff of two maids, a boy and two gardeners. By 1938 the house had been extended and the rear portion converted to flats.

By 1947, having been purchased by Ralph Gordon Cully, merchant of Belfast, the house had been divided into three and Cully became the occupier of the main front apartments, which was subsequently renamed ‘Windrush’ (23/18/040A). Ardreagh was valued at £44 and this portion was bought by William Herbert Jemphrey from Cully on 5th November 1946 for £1,250 It was then sold to Francis William J Dolan on 31st October 1947 for £3,400. Dimensions of the new dwelling are given.

The block now known as 'Ardreagh' has been converted from a wing containing the laundry and servants’ bedrooms of the main house. The wing is shown on the map of 1858, but is today much reduced in size. A valuer’s plan of 1921 shows a former extension at right angles to Ardreagh as a garage and loft with housing for a gas engine that provided power for lighting and a water pump. (Brett, p.108)

References:

Primary Sources

1.PRONI OS/6/3/1/1 – First Edition OS Map 1834
2.PRONI OS/6/3/1/2 – Second Edition OS map 1858
3.PRONI OS/6/3/1/3 – Third Edition OS Map 1900-02
4.PRONI OS/6/3/1/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1919-31
5.PRONI OS/6/3/1/5 – Fifth Edition OS Map 1938-41
6.PRONI VAL/1/A/3/1 – Townland Valuation Map (1828-40)
7.PRONI VAL/1/B/318 – Townland Valuation (1828-40)
8.PRONI VAL/2/B/3/1 – Griffith’s Valuation Map (1856-64)
9.PRONI VAL/2/B/3/18B – Griffith’s Valuation (1856-64)
10.PRONI VAL/12/A/3/22 – Valuers’ Notebook (1917-1922)
11.PRONI VAL/12/B/17/10A-G – Annual Revisions (1867-1930)
12.PRONI VAL/12/B/17/11A-C – Annual Revisions (1888-1930)

Secondary Sources

1.Barbour, T and Barbour, R “Letters written while on a collecting trip in the East Indies”, 1913
2.Brett, C.E.B. “Buildings of North County Down” Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 2002

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Ardreagh is a two storey house, forming one of a group of three attached properties, formerly one complex, now functioning as three separate houses. Ardreagh is the plainest of the three, formerly the servants' quarters of Windrush (HB23/18/040A) and attached at its south west corner to the former kitchen wing of the main house (which is the earliest building on the site), now called Ardville (HB23/18/040B). Its external appearance has been altered, compromising any remaining historic character. Its chief interest is as a subservient part of the evolved group but it is not of special interest and not among the best examples of the type.

General comments

Please note this record has been renumbered, it was previously recorded as HB23/18/040.